A Coyote's Stories
by Aria6
Summary: I've decided to do a collection of drabbles and one-shots! Most will likely be about Starrk but there may be some other characters and there will be plenty of pairings. :) Let me know if you really like anything! Enjoy!
1. Dusting - Part One

Starrk stood in the doorway to his rooms, looking at the person inside in bewilderment.

She was clearly a Numero. To his senses, her spiritual pressure was almost non-existent. As he watched, she continued what she was doing… cleaning his rooms. She had a little cart of tools and right now she was using some kind of brush on his pillows, removing the dust and lint they had gradually collected.

What left him so bewildered was not the fact that she was cleaning, but that she was there at all. The Numero's normally didn't come to his wing because they couldn't. His resting spiritual pressure was too much for them, it crushed them and left them feeling faint. If Starrk wanted things cleaned he had to vacate for a while, usually going to Grimmjow's wing to just hang out. Mostly he didn't bother. It wasn't like lint could hurt him and he didn't do much to dirty the place.

So what was this woman doing in his rooms and how hadn't she noticed him yet? Rubbing his forehead, Starrk released a gentle rush of spiritual pressure. That would… do…

Nothing?

He stared as she picked up the pillow and looked it over for imperfections before setting it aside and beginning another one. Very curious now, he unleashed a larger wave of power. No reaction, although she did pause for a moment before shaking her head. No doubt she was recognizing that the ambient energy in the air was rising, but he hadn't directed it squarely at her. That apparently meant it was unimportant compared to her duties.

Starrk tilted his head to one side, really examining her for a moment. Her back was to him so he couldn't see too much. She was shorter than him by a full head. Her hair was dead black, reaching her shoulders in a very simple, straight style. A piece of silver gleamed as she turned her head and Starrk saw it seemed to be some kind of hairclip. It was holding a lock of hair on the side of her face. He could only catch glimpses of that face, but it intrigued him. Her uniform was a dress with a very full skirt… who was she? Finally deciding to find out, he released a bit of his spiritual pressure right at her.

That finally got a reaction. The woman jumped, startled, before whirling to look at him. He finally saw her face and thought it was extremely pretty. Fine boned, aristocratic features and marvelous blueish violet eyes… her face was completely bare of any makeup, which he rather liked. He'd never card for the dolled up look some of the Numeros favored. But still, who was she? The only females capable of entering his rooms for any length of time were Halibel and her fraccion, none of whom cared for him at all.

"Who are you?" The woman asked and he blinked, suddenly realizing she was just as confused as he was. Did she have no idea who's wing she'd entered?

"I am… Wolf." He said, although that sounded rather stupid. She gave him an 'are you an idiot or do you just think I am?' look and he ignored it, smiling innocently. "May I ask your name?" He said and she frowned, taking a step back.

"I am Violetta Kuroikaze." She said in a slightly frosty tone of voice. "Miramira ordered me to clean this area." She said and Starrk thought that Miramira had been playing a particularly nasty trick on her. However, it seemed to have backfired.

"Mmm. Did you know this wing belongs to the Primera?" He said idly and saw her eyes widen. Then she blinked and steadied himself.

"That's fine. He's not frightening." She said shortly and he stared at her. Not frightening? Compared to what? The other numeros had always been terrified of his spiritual pressure. Not that he enjoyed the reaction… "He's just lazy. I wonder if he needs dusting?" She asked and he couldn't help but bark a laugh. It was funny because after at least one marathon sleeping session, when Lilinette had been too busy to bother him, he had awoken with a fine coating of dust on his face.

"Perhaps he might." Starrk took another step towards her, intrigued. Her scent… it was a lovely, flowery feminine scent but there was something else underneath. Something that smelled like dust and old bones and sang sweetly of danger. Her expression suddenly became wary as she took a step backwards, keeping the space between them. That did her little good as he continued to slowly walk forward, gradually pinning her against a wall. Her breathing was coming fast now and he loved the flush on her cheeks. "But you know, I think there's another part of him that might need dusting…" He murmured insinuatingly. If she could survive this much of his power, how much more could she take? He rose his energy and again, she didn't even seem to notice.

"Are you pimping for him then? I don't think so." She said as her hand dipped into her skirts. He opened his mouth then abruptly leaped back as razor sharp steel came between them, slicing through his hierro and raising just the thinnest line of blood on his chest. She ran then, with nothing but her feet and body to power it. No sonido at all. Starrk could easily have caught her but instead he watched her go, utterly bewildered. Reaching up he rubbed the cut on his chest and held out his hand, looking at the blood. His hierro wasn't like Nnoitra's, it wasn't the basis of his power, but still…

"How did she do that?" He whispered, looking at the blood in his hand. It shouldn't have been possible.

Who was this girl?

* * *

It was rather easy to ensure he would see her again. He simply went to see the Numero in charge of cleaning and other homely tasks. She knew him, from the rare times he wanted his wing cleaned. And when he specifically requested a particular Numero to begin cleaning his wing regularly, she was more than a little shocked. At first she tried to protest that the girl would never be able to withstand his pressure but he'd tersely informed her that she already had.

So a rather disgruntled and extremely wary Violetta began making weekly visits to keep his wing clean. For a while, Starrk just observed her, keeping himself hidden. Lilinette, however, had no discretion.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" She challenged the woman. Violette was kneeling beside a dresser and running something beneath it.

"Cleaning." She said shortly before looking up. "May I help you with anything?" She asked politely enough and Lilinette stared at her, taken aback.

"…You know this is Starrk's place, right?" She said after a moment and Violetta nodded. "How are you even here?" That puzzled the Numero.

"I used my feet and walked in?" She asked after a moment and Lilinette scowled, feeling she was being mocked, no doubt. "Excuse me, who are you?"

"I'm Lilinette Gingerbuck! I'm Starrk's fraccion so you better treat me with respect." She snapped and Violetta paused for a moment before giving her a deep bow. Starrk arched an eyebrow at the gesture, then frowned as Violetta spoke.

"Of course Lilinette-sama. I would not dream of being disrespectful." Her voice was calm but to Starrk's ears, there was an edge of painful resignation. His frown deepened as he wondered where the strong young woman he'd observed had gone. Lilinette, though, was mollified by the ready deference.

"Better not! I'm not sure why Starrk's power isn't crushing you, but he'll smash you if you annoy him!" She threatened and he winced from his hiding place. Violetta just smiled, a stilted, false expression.

"Of course Lilinette-sama. Is there anything in particular I can clean for you?" She asked and Lilinette blinked before shaking her head. "May I return to my duties?"

"Oh yeah! Sure. Go ahead." Lilinette gestured and Violette knelt back by the piece of furniture, concentrating on removing dust bunnies. Lilinette watched for a while before becoming bored with the proceedings and leaving to cause trouble elsewhere. Starrk was extremely glad. He didn't want his little game to come to an end too soon and Lilinette would certainly blurt out his name. He stepped out behind the Numero and she twitched slightly, clearly hearing his foot on the ground. But then, he hadn't been trying to hide it.

"Why did you defer to her like that?" He asked, curious. Lilinette was very nearly powerless, certainly not worthy of deference. Her only real strength was her connection to him. Of course, that was a great strength but most of the arrancar in Los Noches didn't really understand it. Violette looked up from another cushion she was grooming, frowning.

"Because she's a fraccion." She said shortly and Starrk tilted his head to one side.

"She has no strength." He probed and she huffed a sigh, turning back to the cushion.

"So? Neither do I." She said bitterly and he blinked.

"Of course you do. You're standing in the Primera's wing." He said, watching her reactions. Her shoulders stiffened a little but there was nothing else. "You must have some strength." Actually, she had to have quite a lot. Somehow, she had cut him. Didn't she know that?

"A useless strength." She said, her voice calm but with an edge of wormwood that made him wince. "Was there something you wanted with me, Wolf? Or are you still pimping for the Primera?" That made him smile. She had no idea.

"I'm sure he needs quite a bit of dusting." He said casually and saw her huff, annoyed. "He has no one to have sex with, you know." That was something that actually saddened him. She turned her head to look at him, her lips quirked in an expression of disbelief. "Halibel doesn't care for him, she likes her girls and they like her. And the poor fellow doesn't like men." Starrk had tried it, once, out of pure loneliness. It just hadn't worked for him. Violetta frowned at him.

"There are plenty of female Numeros." She pointed out and he smiled at her. She still didn't understand?

"None of whom can tolerate his resting spiritual pressure for more than a half-hour." He said easily and she frowned. "Intercourse… the pressures involved… he would kill them." That was simply a fact.

"Really. And you think he wouldn't kill me?" She asked and Starrk very casually pumped more of his reiatsu into the air. She still _didn't notice_. Even a Privaron Espada would be feeling suffocated by now. Who was this woman, really?

"I have a feeling he wouldn't. You seem remarkably durable." He said and knew it was the wrong thing to say. Something raw and painful flitted through her eyes before she turned away, thumping a cushion with far more energy than necessary.

"Should I be flattered or disgusted? Go away, Wolf. I'm trying to work." Deciding he'd pushed it far enough today, Starrk retreated. But he would be looking forward to her next visit.

This was a very intriguing game.


	2. Dusting - The Lilinette Installment

Lilinette scowled, wandering around and looking for Starrk.

Starrk was getting on her nerves lately. He was supposed to be on his pillows, sleeping. It was annoying, sure, but that was the great constant in her life. Want to find Starrk? Pillows. Sleeping.

He wasn't supposed to wander around but he was, lately. It had started a bit before that strange Numero had shown up and gotten worse since. For a moment Lilinette wondered if there was a connection but then dismissed the idea. The Numero was okay, but what would she have to do with Starrk?

Lilinette sort of liked Violetta. She was patient and never raised her voice, not like a lot of the Numeros. At first she'd seemed almost scared! Which was nice, Lilinette definitely didn't see that reaction often. Most of the Numeros didn't understand what she was to Starrk so they mocked her all the time. Even the ones who did get it thought she was silly and Starrk should just gulp her down. He could, they all knew he could but they just didn't understand. Starrk had gone to a lot of trouble to create her. Why would he eat her?

Where WAS Starrk? He was in none of the usual spots. Lilinette huffed as she searched and finally, purely by accident, stumbled over what she wanted.

"Given up on pimping for the Primera, Wolf?" That was Violetta and she sounded… weird. Sort of breathless? Had she been running or something?

"Mmm. His dusting can wait. I think mine is rather urgent…" That voice! Although Starrk sounded pretty funny too. What was going on? Lilinette peeked into the room and her eyes went wide. He had that Numero pinned to the wall and was doing something funny to her neck! He was nipping and sucking and as she watched he made a low groan in the back of his throat. To Lilinette, that all spelled one thing.

_He was going to eat her!_

Lilinette exploded out of hiding and kicked her larger half as hard as she could. He yelped at the unexpected pain as she yelled.

"STARRK! Stop it! You can't eat her! STOP IT STARRK!" She belted him again and he yelped a second time as Violette stared. His grip on her was slackening. Good! "Let go of her! LET GO!" She leapt on him then, grabbing his hair and yanking hard as she tried to knock him over.

"LILINETTE STOP!" He went down with a howl, to her satisfaction. Hopefully the stupid Numero would take the time to run! There was a patter of feet on the ground as Lilinette scuffled with her larger half. "No! Violetta, come back! Lilinette!"

"You can't eat her Starrk! Stop it!" She said firmly, although less urgently than she had when the Numero was in the grip of doom. Her other half stopped struggling as he realized the girl was gone.

"I wasn't going to eat her! I was…" Starrk stopped with the weirdest look on his face. Lilinette frowned. She couldn't remember ever seeing him look like that before.

"You were what?" She asked curiously. There was a long pause. "Oi?"

"…" Starrk squirmed a little before suddenly shoving her off. Lilinette went with a surprised yelp. "…Just leave me alone! And next time, don't interfere!" He snarled before pushing himself up and stalking off. She stared after him in confusion before the meaning registered.

"Next time? Whaddaya mean NEXT TIME? STARRK!" She chased after her other half, intent on giving him a beat down.

He was NOT going to eat that Numero!


	3. Play Dead

Author's Note: This is the same concept of Starrk that I used in Survival. :) He's unbelievably ancient. Now, on with the show!

* * *

"We're in big trouble Starrk!" Lilinette hissed as Starrk crouched behind a pillar.

"I am well aware." He grunted, trying to think of how to get out of this trap.

The situation wasn't good. He shouldn't have come back to Los Noches. He knew that. He'd done it anyway because he'd wanted to pick up his art supplies out of his wing. How was he supposed to replace those? Going to Soul Society and stealing them would be every bit as risky as braving Los Noches. And he wanted them, damn it! He might be condemned to wander the wastes for all eternity but he could at least make some sketches of it.

It had been the wrong decision. He'd zigged when he should have zagged, to quote Grimmjow. Now he was in quite a fix, with literally four taichou stalking him through the bowels of Los Noches. He knew the place better than they did and that was all he had going for him. If he couldn't think of something a bit better they were well and truly screwed.

Starrk ruffled through his mind and memories for any kind of idea or strategy that could save him. He was unutterably ancient – the shinigami had no idea – so surely he could think of something. One idle memory caught his attention and he latched onto it.

_Dug a pit and lined it with stakes. Hidden beneath the ground. Great predator wants to eat us but stupid, stupid. Lure it closer… Into the trap._

_Predator is prey. We feast._

Starrk licked his lips. Szayel's wing. It was full of traps, if it was still intact. Could he lead the shinigami into those vicious, deadly, lethal traps?

"Worth a try." He muttered before slipping away. The damned shinigami could track him all too easily. Aizen's dampening had let him stand among the weak without killing them, but nothing could hide him. And his own control of his reiatsu was as abysmal as it had always been.

In this particular case, though, that might be a good thing. Ducking and dodging through Los Noches, Starrk dodged potentially lethal attacks as he tried to bring the shinigami to Szayel's area of the place. Then a voice reached him.

"Espada-san!" Oh, that voice… Starrk despised it. Not because the shinigami had tried to kill him but rather, because he had failed. His last hope for freedom from this pathetic excuse for a life, gone. Not even one of the most powerful taichou of Soul Society could cleanse his soul. Well, if they could not do it then he would just have to live. And he was damned if he would live in a cage. "We just want to talk!"

"You began that rather poorly, Kyoraku taichou." He called back laconically as Lilinette hissed angrily.

"He has some balls to say that after that big guy tried to nail us!" Starrk nodded as he kept going. A huge man with an eyepatch had attempted to destroy them, laughing the entire time. Starrk had managed to put the man in his place but that action had attracted far, far too much attention.

"We would like to apologize for that! Zaraki taichou wasn't supposed to be here…" Starrk tuned the man out. He was almost to the right area. Just a bit… further…

"Oh shit!" Lilinette spat as Starrk stopped, staring at the devastation in front of him with an absolutely blank expression. "What now, Starrk?" She asked and he thought carefully. He had another tactic. It was an act of desperation that he and Lilinette had come up with once, when they were idly talking. They'd never, ever needed to use it. But now… "Oh no, seriously?" She could see what was in his mind.

"I'm afraid so." He said quietly, gazing over the ruins of Szayel's laboratory. There was nothing for him to use here and nowhere to go. Nothing but emptiness. Turning around slowly, he watched as the four shinigami following him materialized. Two of them he had never seen, a stranger in makeup with an unholy grin on his face and a man with long black hair and silver clips. The other two consisted of the boy who had fought Halibel and the man in pink. Kyoraku Shunsui. Starrk met his smile with a blank, empty gaze. He had existed before this man had even been a dream in his grandmother's mind. He would exist long after he was nothing but dust, even his memory forgotten.

"Ah, arrancar! I cannot wait to examine you!" The man in the makeup said with far too much interest. Shunsui frowned before snapping.

"Mayuri! Enough. Starrk-san, please do not resist." He said gently, like a man trying to talk another off a cliff ledge. He didn't realize how apt that comparison was. "Come with us to Soul Society. Halibel and Grimmjow are already with us, being given a second chance. You can have one too."

"No." Starrk said it with absolute finality. He knew better than that. When they had any chance to examine him they would realize what they had. And when that happened they would never, ever let him go. Now that he didn't kill everyone simply by breathing, he had some hopes for companionship in the sands of Hueco Mundo. Soul Society would give him nothing but shackles and chains.

"You cannot escape." The man with the long black hair said.

"You are correct." Starrk said calmly, acknowledging the truth of the matter. "You have me." He couldn't hope to evade them now and he couldn't outrun them. As good as his sonido was, it wasn't that good. "But you will not take me alive." He said, lifting his guns. The shinigami readied themselves but Kyoraku held up a hand, holding them back.

"Please Starrk-san. You survived once. Don't make us kill you now." He said and the sincerity and honest concern in his face and eyes made Starrk wish he could take the man's offer. But he didn't know. Shunsui didn't understand the monster that stood in front of him, the force that his fellows would see as the deadliest of threats.

"You misunderstand, shinigami. I will not make you kill me." He said before looking at his weapons in sadness. "I'm sorry, Lilinette." He said softly.

"It's okay Starrk. I can be brave!" She said bravely and he smiled, sadly. Then he looked up, deliberately meeting grey eyes.

"Goodbye, Kyoraku taichou." He said before raising his gun. The shinigami spread out, readying their weapons and Shunsui's hands dropped to his blades… and his eyes went wide as Starrk abruptly reversed his weapon, resting the barrel against his temple.

"NO!" Shunsui leapt forward but there was simply no time. The eruption of the incredibly powerful cero illuminated the body in front of them in an unholy light. As the energy dissipated the body in front of them slowly collapsed, falling to its knees before slumping forward in a crumpled, smoking heap. "No…" Shunsui knelt beside what was left of the Primera Espada, reaching out to touch it. The head and part of the shoulders were gone, obliterated by the power the Espada had unleashed on himself.

All three of the other taichou stared, still caught in a web of shock and surprise. Even Mayuri was slack jawed and dazed. None of them had expected the deadly confrontation with the Primera Espada to end with such gruesome finality. As they recovered, though, Byakuya exchanged a glance with Toshiro. Neither of them knew what to say. Kyoraku was staring at the corpse, his expression devastated.

"I never wanted this." He whispered, looking at that broken form. Then a flash of silver caught his eye and he looked down, seeing the gun where it lay beside a lax hand. Reaching down, Kyoraku picked up the weapon. "Lilinette?" No response. "Lilinette-chan, are you there?" Surely that would provoke the little arrancar to an angry response. Nothing. Tears misted his eyes as he gently set the gun down beside its' deceased wielder.

"…Can I dissect him now?" Mayuri finally said. "Although he's in rather poor condition…" Now that half of his potential specimen had been obliterated, he wasn't nearly as interested.

"No." Shunsui said firmly before taking a deep breath. He carefully picked up what was left of the man. "I will take him to my Division for an honorable burial." He said. "Toshiro, can you get the guns for me?" He asked and his fellow taichou nodded. "Byakuya, Mayuri, can you collect Zaraki?" Starrk had really put the pain on the big man. He would survive but he wouldn't be happy for a while. Although Shunsui was sure what would really upset him was the fact that Starrk was dead and would never be able to fight him again. Kenpachi had been beaten before and only seemed to consider it a challenge.

But it was not a challenge Starrk would be able to meet. Shunsui tried not to look at the broken man in his arms, holding back his grief and guilt. Was there anything they could have done differently?

He would never know.

* * *

_Honorable burial? Shit! Why can't they treat us like worthless hollows like they always have before?_

_Hush Lilinette. There will be an opportunity. Concentrate on suppressing the reaction._

_I know, I've got it Starrk. You keep hiding our reiatsu._

_Believe me, I'm trying. Being dead does help but if you slip up…_

_I know. I know!_

* * *

Shunsui gazed into his sake, feeling sick with pain and guilt.

It wasn't his fault the Espada had committed suicide. He knew it wasn't. The man had made his own choice. Yet, a tiny inner voice kept tormenting him. He shouldn't have let Kenpachi tag along after them. He should have done something to stop that comment from Mayuri. Had that been what put Starrk over the edge? He would never know.

"Shunsui." He looked up as the door opened. A familiar, concerned face was there. He smiled sadly at the sight. "Are you alright?" Juushiro stepped into the room as he shook his head.

"Not really." He said sadly, looking down and into his sake. He could see his own reflection there. "…I didn't want him to die." Shunsui said as Juushiro took a seat across from him. He was very concerned about his old friend. "And he deserved so much better than to die like that." The surprisingly peaceful arrancar he'd fought over Karakura town, the man who'd shown mercy to every single opponent he'd defeated… he'd deserved better. Shunsui had been shocked to see him alive at all. He'd been absolutely certain he'd killed the Espada, and that had hurt his heart. To see him again and lose him so quickly… it was a terrible blow. Juushiro reached out to touch his hand.

"There was nothing you could have done." He said comfortingly. Shunsui took a deep breath before he nodded and took a deep drink of his sake.

"I know Juu. I know. It's just… the look on his face, right before he…" He would never forget that moment where Starrk had turned the weapon on himself. There had been such a peaceful look on his face before he'd pulled the trigger and destroyed himself. Shunsui had never seen anything like it and hoped to never see it again.

"Do you want to play shogi?" Juushiro suggested and he swallowed some more sake before nodding. Perhaps playing with his oldest friend would take his mind off the traumatic thing he had witnessed. Even with all his thousand years of experience, he'd never seen anything quite like it.

Halfway through their game there was a hard rap on the door. Shunsui looked up with a blink as Juushiro glanced behind his shoulder.

"Come in!" He called and the door slid open. To both their surprise, a pair of arrancar were there.

Halibel was wearing a jacket, designed much like her Espada one and meant to hide her bone fragments. This one, however, was dead black with a golden zipper. Her hakama was also black, denoting her new status as part of their forces. Grimmjow was also in black, with the insignia of the Eleventh on his arm. He was fitting in extremely well there, although he was loathe to admit it.

"Kyoraku taichou. Ukitake taichou. We have been told that Coyote Starrk is deceased and his body is being held within your Division?" Halibel asked and Shunsui winced to himself before managing a faint smile.

"I'm afraid so. I most deeply apologize. We wanted him to join us, not…" He looked down again, hardly seeing the board. All he saw was that dreadful moment in time. Halibel shook her head, her braids waving. Grimmjow was looking like he'd rather be somewhere else, grimacing slightly.

"It is we who must apologize to you. I am afraid I thought he was dead." She said and Shunsui blinked at her as Juushiro frowned. Then Grimmjow spoke.

"Yeah, that suicidal motherfucker had hopes, ya know? He figured if Aizen didn't win he could at least die on a shinigami's blade and that would finally do the trick. No luck, seems like. So where'd you put him? You checked on the body lately?" Grimmjow grinned then, his blue eyes flashing. "It's gonna get ya!" He chortled as Shunsui stared at him. Halibel shot him a glance of flat dislike.

"What?" He asked, perplexed. Halibel sighed before responding.

"As I said, we must apologize. We both thought he was dead. If we'd had any idea of his survival we would have warned you." She said before continuing, her tone uncomfortable. "Coyote Starrk is… highly unusual. He is a soul collection of surpassing age and complexity. As a result, he cannot die."

"He regenerates. Usually it starts happening right off but maybe he can hold it back. Anyway, you checked that body lately? Bet you a thousand yen it ain't there no more." Grimmjow said as Shunsui struggled to absorb what they were saying.

"That's not possible! I saw… he… he blew his own head off!" There had been no doubt whatsoever of the fatal nature of the wound. Grimmjow shrugged.

"He did that a few times in Los Noches. Cleaning brains off the wall is so much fucking fun. You should've heard the Numeros bitching. The last time the bastard did it, Aizen made him clean it up himself. You should have heard Lilinette going on!" Grimmjow maundered on but Shunsui wasn't listening. He came to his feet in a lurching move and practically dove out the door. They couldn't be right. They couldn't be…

But when he reached the room they'd placed the body, he saw nothing but an empty mat. The flowers he'd laid on the man were sitting on the floor, the petals already wilting. And there was a small piece of paper laid out on the mat. Picking it up, he began to read.

_We play dead quite convincingly, do we not, Kyoraku Shunsui?_

_Coyote Starrk_

Feeling the most profound relief he'd ever felt in his life, Shunsui began to laugh.


	4. Something Good

From a young age, Aiko knew he wasn't really the child his parents had wanted.

It didn't really bother him, but it did confuse him. He didn't understand why his parents often didn't like his drawings. Shinigami wore black so the man in black was good. But the man in white wasn't bad, he was just sad. Aiko wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. His father had given him such a funny look, though, when he'd said that.

His parents didn't like his puppy. Her name was Lily and she followed him everywhere, frolicking around his feet and growling at anyone who looked like they might hurt him. She bothered his parents though. Aiko thought it had something to do with how she never seemed to grow. They'd even brought a friend over to look at her. He was so funny looking, he had a wolf head! But he'd ruffled Lily's fur and told them it was nothing to worry about even if it was strange.

Aiko liked to wander off by himself. His mother hated that. She would be searching and searching and then so mad when he came home, because he was hungry and wanted lunch. She would ask where he had been and when he told her, she would be madder and try to make him stay home. She couldn't though. Aiko could always wander off, Lily following at his heels.

Aiko liked reading though. He shared that with his mother. They would sit together at night and she would read him a story. He could have just read it himself but he liked to listen to his mother's voice, look into her beautiful violet eyes. His eyes weren't like that. They were grey like his father.

Aiko's father was very important. Everyone said so. He was the Soutaichou and big and strong and brave. Aiko loved him so much but sometimes, he wondered if his father loved him. He would hug him and praise him and ruffle his hair, but there was something watchful in his eyes. And he hated Aiko's drawings. He'd especially hated the one where the man in white was falling out of the sky. Aiko had tried to explain that it wasn't bad, it was good and the man was happy but he didn't think his father understood.

One night, Aiko had a dream. It was a beautiful dream, full of bright colors and sounds. He saw his father using big black swords and the man in white was holding blue swords. They fought so hard! Aiko thought the sparks from the blue swords were so pretty. They danced through the air, glittering like little crystals. The blood was pretty too, but he knew that was bad. The man in white and his father were both bleeding…

Of course his father won. His father was the Soutaichou, brave and strong. The man in white had never had a chance. Aiko saw the man in white fall from the sky and he knew something important. Something he needed to tell his parents.

"Father?" He said at the breakfast table. He knew this would probably make them mad, but he needed to tell them. It was like a fire in his chest. He _had_ to tell them.

"Yes Aiko?" His father said with a smile as he took a bite of his congee. "You should eat." He said but Aiko wasn't going to be distracted. He could eat later.

"When you knocked the man in white out of the sky, he wasn't sad. He was happy, because he knew something good was going to happen. And it did. _You_ happened." Aiko tried to articulate what he'd felt in his dream. His father stared at him and he heard a gasp from his mother, but he needed to say this. "I love you father. I love you." He jumped off his chair to hug his father, burying his face in the black cloth that smelled like one of the people he loved the most in the world. Lily yelped, as if she was agreeing with him. "I love you." He murmured and felt warm arms go around him.

"I love you too Aiko." His father murmured and he felt an odd wetness on his head. Was his father crying? No, that couldn't be it.

His father was the Soutaichou. He wouldn't be crying over the man in white.


	5. Dusting - Cat in the Cream

Starrk rubbed his forehead, trying to think of how to make his approach.

Things had been going so well, until Lilinette had ruined everything. He'd been gradually wearing down Violetta's resistance. Talking to her every time she came by, teasing and slowly being teased back. She'd been opening up to him, becoming more and more relaxed in his presence. Finally, he'd been about to have sex with her. It had been so close!

Snatched out of his hands by an angry little girl. He'd had to sit Lilinette down afterwards and give her a very frank talk about his intentions towards Violetta. She was completely resistant to the idea. For one thing, she thought he would kill her. For another, she wasn't too keen on the thought of having a… what would Violetta be to her, precisely? A fellow fraccion? A mother figure? It was a bit confusing.

However, all of that depended on his progress with her and it had just gone out the window. He expected the Numero to be wary and defensive now. Expectations that were not disappointed.

"May I help you, Primera-sama?" Violetta said, quickly moving from her work and bowing low to him. The deference in her voice and beneath it, the pained resignation… he'd heard that tone before. It was the same one she'd used on Lilinette.

"Please don't." He said without thinking. He hated that tone. It reminded Starrk of – of… Blue violet eyes flicked up to meet his for just a moment before going back down. "Don't act like a cat that's been declawed and defanged, but is still trying to be proud." That was what she reminded him of, when she acted like this. Trying so hard to maintain her poise in the face of her own powerlessness. That raw, painful look passed through her eyes for a moment.

"That is what I am, Wolf." She said and he was unutterably glad to hear that name on her lips. It was an expression of trust from this bruised but still strong woman. "But I do have work to do here." She glanced towards his tools and he nodded.

"We can talk while you do." Starrk offered, understanding that she wanted his permission. Before, she would simply have ignored him and gone about her business, replying as she chose. Things had still changed. He watched her for a time, working on the cushions. They were cleaner than they had ever been thanks to her efforts. "You know, I envy you." He suddenly said and she paused before giving him a wary, disbelieving gaze. "I've always envied the weak. I'm so alone here. I have always been alone." He said sadly. Violetta smiled and the expression took him aback. It was so full of bitter rage.

"Ah, you would like to be weak? To have any more powerful than you force you on your back and spread your legs, taking you however they want, whenever they want?" She said lightly and he stared. "Perhaps you should consult with Szayel. Perhaps he can make a trinket to give you the weakness you want, Wolf." She beat a cushion with unnecessary force as he swallowed, his mind churning. "I envy you, in your aloof power. What I would not give to be _alone._" The yearning in her voice… it shook him to the core. He'd known some of the other Espada envied his power, of course, but for someone to envy his loneliness…

"A shame we cannot trade places, then. Although I think we would both come to hate ourselves, in time." Starrk said after a moment. He'd never thought about what it would mean to be _that _weak. In his dreams, he'd had friends and companions. Not enemies and abusers. Violetta was silent for a moment as she picked up a smaller pillow, inspecting it.

"Perhaps you're right. Too much of anything isn't a good thing." She heaved a sigh before putting the pillow down. Then she gathered her cart to leave the room. He tagged along, with nothing better to do.

"You're much stronger than you think, you know." He offered as she flicked him a glance. "You cut me. The Privaron Espada couldn't manage to cut me." That still astonished him. She looked away with a small sigh.

"Because I took you by surprise. What good is the power of my blade if I can't use sonido? It might as well not exist." She said and Starrk tilted his head. "And my 'durability' only means that I can take more damage than most." Her tone was grim and he winced. After her earlier comments, he knew what she meant.

"Mmm." Starrk watched her for a while. It was entertaining, especially when she knelt and accidentally stuck her bottom in the air, reaching beneath a futon in an effort to gather up all the candy wrappers. Lilinette had a bad habit of just sweeping them away. Even under that heavy skirt, the way those buttocks strained against the fabric was most interesting. "…Do you still like me?" He asked wistfully. He'd been getting so close when Lilinette interrupted. All his constant pestering and gentle teasing had really been paying off, with her smiles and sweet laughs. There was a pause before Violette extracted herself from the futon.

"…I liked you better when I thought you were Wolf." She said honestly, meeting his gaze squarely. Starrk felt a strange pain at the words. "Just a random Numero hanging around where he shouldn't, playing with me for a bit of fun. I… understood that." She looked away, her face slightly pinched. "Now I don't know what you want from me. I'm nothing, compared to you." He moved forward, not using sonido, just his body and swept her into his arms. She didn't try to evade him, although she could have. Blue violet eyes met his and he saw the pain, the uncertainty there.

"You are everything to me." Starrk promised, knowing it sounded a bit stupid. But he meant it, he really did. Hands fisted in his jacket but she didn't try to pull away "Do you like me?" He asked again, hoping the answer was yes. She looked into his eyes for a moment before smiling. It was the sweet, impish smile she'd sometimes graced him with when she thought he was Wolf.

"I like your beard." She reached up to grip his chin, running a thumb over the scraggly thing. Starrk almost blushed. When was the last time someone had touched him like that? Never. "You're… cute." Violette said before blushing and Starrk smiled, amused. He wasn't the only one feeling stupid, it seemed. Then she lifted her head with a slightly challenging motion. "Yes, I like you."

"Good." He said before kissing her again. It felt every bit as good as their first kiss and this time, there was no Lilinette to get in the way. Her lips were sweet as honey beneath his and he could smell that delicate, flowery aroma with the scent of dust and bone beneath. She was so feminine yet so hollow, so weak yet so strong. Starrk wanted her, wanted her more than anything he'd ever wanted in his life.

And she was yielding to him, just like before. He nuzzled her throat, finding the spots that smelled best to him before pausing to suck. Her soft moans and whimpers filled his ears, inflaming his already powerful lust. Starrk nipped that delicate skin, raising a thin line of blood. The woman in his arms had no real hierro, yet she was still so strong. How could that be? Groaning softly, he hiked up that heavy skirt to work on her panties. They were white and frilly and as he hitched them down he saw something.

"Your mask fragment." It was on her belly. A beautiful pattern that reminded him of a flower, it made him lick his lips in anticipation. Although… "Why don't you show it off?" Most of the Numeros he'd seen would have worn a midriff baring shirt, for certain. Violetta made a face.

"Don't kill the romance, Wolf." She said firmly and he blinked before recalling her earlier words. Of course she wouldn't want to attract extra attention. No Espada would ever consider her for a fraccion so it would be nothing but a danger to her. Her hands began to work on the ties to his hakama and Starrk groaned as he kissed her again. His hardness was pressing against her belly, upright and demanding in its' dome of cloth. How he wanted this woman…

She freed him from that confining garment and Starrk held her skirt up with his arms, sliding his hands beneath her buttocks and hitching her up. She was shorter, he needed to hold her… Her legs slid around his waist just as he parted her folds and slid his cock into her inviting heat.

…_.!_ Starrk's eyes went wide as his mind suddenly registered what he was doing. The one time he'd had sex with a man, it just hadn't been right. It hadn't been _bad, _he'd taken pleasure from it, but he hadn't been able to rid himself of the feeling that it was somehow wrong. Something he just wasn't supposed to be doing. This, though, was right. This was what his body craved and her sweet and deadly scent filled his nostrils as he took her. She clung to him, urging him on with wordless gasps as he thrust powerfully into her core, engaging all his senses as her sweet body accepted his. He swiped his tongue across her throat, tasting the salt of her sweat as she let her head fall back. Those gorgeous blue purple eyes gazed at him, hazed with lust and need.

"Faster, Wolf." She moaned and he obliged, groaning as she gripped him so tightly, he thought he might explode at any moment. Instinct came to his rescue. He had no real experience with women but he continued to take her, exploring her throat as he kept sliding in and out of that teasing, clutching heat.

"Please… call me Starrk…" He murmured in her ear as she trembled, her hands fisting in the front of his uniform. He could feel her little body so snug against him, see the look of pleasure and joy on her face… he only wished her dress wasn't in the way. They would need to be less impulsive next time. How she would look spread out over his cushions…

"Starrk. Yes, Starrk!" Violette cried out as her body arched and tightened. Starrk gasped as he felt her insides suddenly spasm, clenching and unclenching as she found her orgasm. "_Starrk!_" Her voice was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard in his life and instincts said _now._ Starrk followed them without thought, pressing as deeply into her as he could before releasing inside her.

The flash of power from his orgasm would have killed any normal Numero. Violetta arched under the strain but only gasped out encouragement as he emptied himself, one, two, three pulses into her core. She took the brunt of his reiatsu without flinching and Starrk buried his face in her neck, drinking in her delicious scent. The scent of bone and dust was stronger now, and he reveled in it. That was her hollow nature, her hidden power.

"Well." She whispered in his ear as they both trembled, still caught up in the aftershocks of bliss. "Tell me Wolf, has the Primera had his dusting?" He lifted his head and met those gorgeous blue violet eyes. They were warm and satisfied, content with what they had done.

"For now." He murmured and saw a flicker of desire across her face. He kissed her slowly, langorously before gently easing his body free of her. She regained her footing, staggering slightly as she reached down to draw up her panties. "I think he would like more dustings in the future." Starrk didn't want this to be a one time thing. Oh no, he wanted as much of this gorgeous woman as he could get. Violetta smiled before gripping his chin and kissing him again.

"Count on it, Starrk." She murmured and he almost melted at the heat in her eyes.

He couldn't wait to do this again.

* * *

Starrk sat at the table of the Espada and rested his chin in his hands. As he did, he smiled. It was the smile of a cat who'd gotten into the cream, eaten every bit of it and finished it off with a triumphant flick of his tail. Futher down the table, he saw Halibel twitch. His smile widened a bit at the sight. She wasn't his favorite person. Not because she had rejected his advances, but because she seemed to regard him as a particularly unsavory beast. Starrk wasn't entirely sure where she'd gotten that impression, but he felt like a beast today. A very self-satisfied, confident one, his masculine pride well and truly stoked. He caught her silent glare but didn't care. He was beyond pleased with himself.

"Oi, Starrk, you look like you got laid." Grimmjow said as he took his seat and Starrk couldn't help but bark a laugh. He'd never thought the Sexta was so perceptive!

"I did." He said and the entire table looked at him. Aizen hadn't arrived yet, which was the reason he'd responded. Talking about sex in front of their lord and master… no. Bragging in front of the other Espada? Hell yes. "She was the most gorgeous woman you could imagine, Grimmjow." The other Espada had a 'what the hell REALLY?' look on his face.

"A pity no one will ever see her again, with your reiatsu levels." Halibel said, her voice cold as ice. Starrks smile turned into a smirk.

"Oh, I'll certainly be seeing her again, Tercero. She walked out of my wing on her own feet and blew me a kiss." Well, not really, that wasn't Violetta's style. But she'd smiled at him and given him a kiss before she'd left. Nnoitra guffawed and slapped him on the back just as Aizen walked into the room. All attention went to him as they dropped the topic. Starrk could feel Halibel's eyes on him, though. He smirked again, enjoying the feeling.

He'd never been able to taunt her like this before. He really quite enjoyed it.


	6. Play Dead Part Two - Triage

Starrk wrung the excess water out of his cloth before gently setting it on the woman's forehead. She was young, but it was impossible to tell by looking at her. Her face had been worn old well before her time, like many of the slum residents of the Rukongai. As he set the cloth onto her burning forehead she opened her eyes.

"My… son…?" She asked in a dry whisper and he gently pressed a cup of water against her lips. It was pure, unlike the water that had put her into his care. She drank, weakly.

"He's fine." He said softly, knowing it was a lie. Her child had been too small and fragile to endure this. He had died a few hours past. "Rest." She closed her eyes, trusting him. He didn't feel bad for the lie. From what he sensed of her condition, she would not survive long. The little lie would make her more comfortable.

"Lupe-san? We need more water." One of the volunteers tugged at his sleeve and Starrk turned his head, giving her a small smile as he stood. The wolf in the corner pushed herself to her feet, shaking her head.

"Oi, want me to do it?" She asked and he nodded.

"If you could." That would be helpful. He had so much to do here. Lilinette yawned before following the volunteer outside. Starrk continued on his rounds, soothing the dying and providing them with water and herbal teas. Some would even live, if he was any judge. Not as many as he would have liked but life was very hard.

As he worked, he reached up to twirl the collar around his throat. The people of the Rukongai thought the circlet of black iron was a fashion statement. Any shinigami would have recognized the powerful runes inscribed in the surface, the incredibly rare and expensive utter blackness of purified seki seki stone. It was a collar meant to contain the reiatsu of a taichou and Aizen had hoped to someday have a victim to use it on. He would have been quite shocked to see Starrk wearing it.

After he'd escaped from the Seireitei, Starrk and Lilinette had wandered the sands for some time before becoming bored. Of course, boredom was practically their natural state of being. It explained why he'd always slept so much. Now, though, Starrk found he wanted more. He'd seen the Seireitei, if only briefly. He'd seen bits and pieces of the Living World. He wanted to see them again.

It had taken planning and another, very careful trip to Los Noches, but he and Lilinette had managed it. The first problem they'd had, had been Lilinette. Starrk's hollow hole and necklace of bones was not that hard to hide. A shirt and a good scarf took care of the whole thing. Her helmet, though, was simply impossible.

It had taken a great deal of work with their reiatsu, but they had finally managed to shift her form. Now, Lilinette was a large grey wolf with a few bone fragments stuck in her fur and a hole through her abdomen. Starrk had gotten her a collar and convinced everyone she was a 'tame' hollow. So far, no shinigami had come to investigate. But this was the absolute worst section of the Rukongai and the peasantry here had little love of shinigami.

The other difficulty the two of them had faced had been his own spiritual pressure. Without the collar he was wearing, Starrk would drive away plus souls like leaves before a gale, if he didn't simply kill them. But they had found a way around it. Starrk had remembered the cells and prisoner restraints. Slipping into Los Noches had been nerve wracking but they had filched this collar. Starrk had jammed the lock on it so it could be removed at will. That had dropped his spiritual pressure to roughly fraccion level and Starrk had worked on suppressing it even further. He had largely succeeded.

Now he was living in the Rukongai. He hadn't meant to become a healer. He had no skill with such things, reiatsu wise. But in that long ago life he could just vaguely remember, he had been a shaman. His duties to the tribe had included holding all the knowledge of how ills could be cured. And all the lives he'd absorbed through the countless millennium had given him a great store of homely knowledge to draw from. He could set bones, stitch wounds, brew herbal medicines and treat infections. Starrk had demonstrated his skill by accident, when he witnessed a small child run over by a cart. He'd set her leg with practiced skill, assuring her mother that everything would be fine. And soon enough, people began to turn to him.

They were looking to him now. Starrk grimaced as he glanced towards the far off Seireitei. This was one of the high numbered slums, very far from those sparkling gates. But he knew they were not so sparkling now. Great plumes of smoke rose over the city, visible even from the far Rukongai. Fortunately, as far as they were from the action no great battles had occurred here. But the shinigami and the quincy were clashing everywhere. That had affected the peasants, not that anyone really cared.

Then a flash of light exploded above and Starrk swore as he felt an extremely powerful reiatsu overhead. He didn't want to interfere. He really didn't. But they were directly over his clinic. Briefly, he considered helping the quincy before tossing the idea aside. As little liking as he had for shinigami, he was aware of the nature of quincy power. It was the complete antithesis of hollow energy. And while he wanted to die, he was not certain he wished to cease to exist.

Going outside, Starrk stared at the sky. His volunteers were running for cover and he could see that several buildings nearby were on fire, ignited by stray shots. Then an arrow of power fell to earth, heading directly at them. Starrk reached up and popped off his collar before stopping it with a simple gesture.

"This is going too far. Lilinette!" He had no idea what shinigami was up there fighting. If necessary, he would simply kill both combatants. Lifting into the sky he concentrated on focusing his runaway reiatsu on the combatants, to avoid harming his patients. It worked and they both noticed him instantly.

Starrk actually didn't recognize the shinigami for a moment. He'd lost an eye somewhere and lost his kimono as well. Overall, the Primera thought it was an improvement. But then, he was partial to eye patches. Kyoraku Shunsui seemed shocked to see him while the quincy was just baffled. Starrk could tell he was immensely powerful, but didn't care.

"Arrancar! Have you come to join us?" The quincy asked and Starrk snorted at the thought.

"I think not. Kick About, Los Lobos!" He commanded before attacking with the intent to drive the man away. Although he was not attacking just the quincy. Kyoraku came in for some of his fire as Starrk herded them out of his territory, behaving a bit like a sheepdog with two very recalcitrant sheep. He could tell neither one of them could figure out what he was doing, but he didn't care. He wanted them gone.

"What are you doing, Espada-san?" Shunsui asked as he ducked a blue cero and countered a few arrows. Starrk caught a quincy sword with a blue blade of energy, replying with a powerful cero before responding.

"Moving you!" That was really his entire goal. Move them away, not just away from the clinic but away from the entire section of the Rukongai he'd decided to call home. The other sections could handle their troubles themselves. This section was his.

"Why?!" The quincy shouted, less than amused with his actions. He was a strange looking man with far too many body piercings and an odd power with metal spikes, in addition to his arrows and other quincy powers.

"Because this is my territory!" Starrk called back. Then he was taken aback as the quincy snarled and called up a power like nothing he'd seen before. Angel wings looked rather odd on the man, but it was even stranger when the power tried to devour his own. He saw Shunsui grimacing as he struggled to block it out but Starrk was just baffled. What did the quincy think he was doing?

"Hey, let me have him Starrk!" Lilinette urged and Starrk shrugged. Why not?

"Okay." He fed a massive amount of reiatsu into his guns before letting go of them. They dissolved, flowing into the quincy. He could feel Lilinette's laughter as she became part of the man's energy… or so he thought.

Starrk watched impassively as a panicked expression passed over the man's face. Then he suddenly began to scream as the dreadful, eternally hungry power he'd absorbed began to devour him from within. Lilinette munched on him with terrible intent, enjoying her very toothsome meal. Shunsui stared as great holes began to open up in the quincies' body, his reiatsu being gulped down by the hollow he'd welcomed into himself. Nothing less than Starrk could have done it. But Starrk, in all his dark glory, was a unique and terrible thing. The screaming finally stopped as the man dissolved. Starrk opened a hand, holding it out to reclaim his weapon. The guns reappeared, as solid and dangerous as they ever were.

"That was tasty!" Lilinette said cheerfully as Kyoraku Shunsui drew a deep breath. Starrk looked at him for a moment before resealing his power and reaching for the black collar. He played with it idly, wondering how he was supposed to put it back on with the shinigami so close. He wanted to go back to the clinic and see to his patients but without his collar, he would certainly kill them.

"Well?" Starrk said after a moment as the man stared at him. "Aren't you going somewhere?" Surely he had things to do other than stare at a hollow. Then Shunsui suddenly smiled.

"Ah, Coyote Starrk! Thank you so much for helping me." He said with a cheerfulness that immediately struck Starrk as suspicious.

"Whatever bridge you're trying to sell me, I don't want it." He said bluntly and wasn't surprised when Shunsui put on an innocent look. Starrk's eyes narrowed and he considered trying to kill the man. Unfortunately, that hadn't worked well last time and he still hadn't seen the bastard's bankai. And if he was 'killed', Shunsui would know to cart off his body. It was hard to win.

"You look really creepy, you know that?" Lilinette said and Shunsui's look turned hurt as he looked at the hollow wolf. "Seriously old man, go molest a statue or something!"

"From what Halibel and Grimmjow have said, the two of you calling anyone 'old' is rather absurd." Shunsui pointed out, which was extremely accurate. Starrk sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"I am not going with you. I must tend to my duties." He said firmly. He was sure that was what the shinigami wanted. He'd just destroyed a very powerful quincy as easily as breathing. The man looked puzzled.

"Duties?" He asked and Starrk just favored him with a stare. "What duties could you possibly have?"

"My duties to my patients." He said shortly, to Shunsui's confusion. "I'm running a clinic." And he would not forsake the people who had come to him for help. Kyoraku's confusion deepened.

"But… forgive me, you can't possibly have any healing abilities." Shunsui said after a moment and Starrk sighed.

"I can set a bone and stitch a wound. I can recognize almost any disease and condition known to man, and I know how to treat most of them with herbs and poultices. I know practical steps to prevent the diseases I cannot treat." Starrk said briefly and Shunsui blinked, staring at him in surprise. "In short, I am the best this place has. I must continue my work." It was, to him, every bit as important as what the shinigami were doing.

"…Forgive me, Starrk-san, but your true talents are being wasted." Shunsui said after a moment and Starrk's lips thinned as Lilinette giggled. She understood what was going through his mind. "You could be saving hundreds of lives."

"I _am_ saving hundreds of lives. Simply because they are beneath your notice…" Starrk paused before taking a deep breath, controlling himself. "Your war has compromised the sewage system in this area of the Rukongai. There has been an outbreak of cholera. I've convinced them that the water needs to be boiled, but there's not enough materials for fires. My reiatsu might not be capable of healing but it's more than adequate for boiling water. Now, if you'll excuse me?" This was starting to anger him. Kyoraku Shunsui was a powerful man, a high noble and a mighty shinigami. How could he begin to understand what these people were going through? But for all his power, Starrk did understand. A hundred and one lives, ended too soon and in too much pain, flashed behind his eyes. Oh yes, he did understand. To his irritation, Shunsui followed him. Starrk briefly considered driving the man away before reconsidering. Starting another fight in a civilian area would be stupid and self-defeating.

Before he hit the ground he popped the collar back on and heard an indrawn breath behind him. Surprised, no doubt, at how the Primera's power had suddenly been crippled. Starrk ignored him as he began reassuring his volunteers and helping put out the fires. His reiatsu was good for that. He could suck away the heat, although he had to be careful. Too much of that would kill anyone too close.

The really annoying thing was the shinigami tagging along behind him. The volunteers were frightened of him and for very good reason. Shunsui could suppress his reiatsu quite well, but the peasants still recognized him as the new Soutaichou. That surprised Starrk a little. What had happened to the old one? He remembered that dreadful old man. That power had been frightening. Starrk might have as much raw power stored in his body but he had no way to effectively use it.

"Starrk, if I send several members of the Fourth to take over your duties here, would you consider joining us?" Kyoraku asked seriously and Starrk did not pause in his efforts to move some debris. This was one of the buildings hit by the quincy arrows and Starrk knew there was someone alive here. He could feel the faintest pulse of fading life.

"Perhaps…" Starrk had no particular interest in helping the shinigami but he really didn't like the quincy. And this conflict was causing nothing but problems. "Shit." He said mildly as he finally uncovered the source of the faint spark he'd been detecting. The little girl was alive, but just a cursory glance told him she wouldn't be for long. He did not bother to free her further, just turning aside.

"Wait, aren't you going to…?" Shunsui asked and Starrk flicked him a glance. He was looking slightly appalled at Starrk's indifference to the dying child.

"As you mentioned, I have no healing kido. There are others that require my attention. I believe it is called triage." He said, feeling a mild pain in his heart. Yet, Starrk knew it was just practical. There was no point in wasting his time on those who could not be helped. Shunsui frowned and Starrk paused as he saw the shinigami kneel in the wreckage, gently freeing the child and touching her with hands that were infused with the light of healing. For a moment, he wondered if the man could truly save her. Then Shunsui shook his head and drew his hands away as Starrk registered the cessation of that faint life spark.

"Oi! Starrk! I've got another live one!" Lilinette called and Starrk turned aside before jogging over the broken masonry. Shunsui was still following him, intent on acquiring a powerful arrancar for his forces.

"If you're the soutaichou now, don't you have something better to do than follow me around?" Starrk asked as he began to dig through a new section of rubble. Kyoraku shrugged.

"More important than following the arrancar who obliterated a powerful quincy without any real effort? No, not really." He said candidly and Starrk couldn't keep an unwilling smile from tugging at his lips. "We need you Starrk."

"You need a boot up the ass." He muttered as he dug, with unerring precision, and found the source of life in this ruin. It was a woman and her leg was partially crushed, but she was alive and would likely remain so. Starrk began to extract her and was not too surprised when hands joined him, clearing the rubble away. "It's all your fault this happened in the first place. The genocide of the quincy… was that necessary?" He asked, wondering if it was. He was a hollow so he understood the dreadful nature of the quincy power better than most. Shunsui sighed softly.

"I don't know. That was before my time. But to tell you the truth, I think it was." He said, sounding troubled. "You of all people should understand." Shunsui said and Starrk grimaced.

"I suppose I do. It makes me wonder where the quincy power came from." It was simply not right. Starrk knew that some people referred to humans, hollows and shinigami as separate species but he didn't think that was correct. Humans lived and died and either became hollows or went to Soul Society as plus souls. The spiritually powerful became shinigami. Shinigami could be devoured and turned into hollows or they died and were either reborn as souls or went to the Living World for a human rebirth. When hollows were cleansed, they either arrived in Soul Society as pluses or went for rebirth. It was a merry-go-round that never ended. But where did quincy feature into it? They could not hollowfy. Starrk had never heard of them going to Soul Society as a plus soul or becoming shinigami. To him, that seemed to say they were not _human_ at all. They were Other, unconnected to the great cycle of life. That made him sad for them because he knew, in a vague sort of way, that they were like people in most respects. Unfortunately, their disconnection from the cycle made them very destructive.

"No one knows. Does that mean you'll help us?" Shunsui said hopefully and Starrk sighed as he carried the woman to his clinic. She was moaning, pained even in her unconscious state.

"If you provide some healers and guardians for these people, I will." He said, surrendering to the inevitable. Kyoraku wasn't going to go away until he said yes. And, when it came down to it, the shinigami hadn't started this war. The quincy could have continued in their splendid isolation, forging a separate world for themselves, far away from their ancient enemies. Starrk would have respected that.

It seemed appropriate, for a people who were no longer tied to the cycle of life, death and rebirth.


	7. AU - Dear Nanao-Chan

Ise Nanao knew, from a young age, that Kyoraku Shunsui had a difficult life.

When she first met him, he was a teenager and she was just a young child. He was laughing and drinking sake, waiting for his turn to be fitted for a kimono. His eyes lit up when he saw her and he'd asked if she wanted to hear a story. Nanao thought he was charming so she'd said yes. Soon he was entertaining her with a story about dragons and gryphons.

Unfortunately, he'd been called to his fitting before he could finish. But after the fitting was done he'd made time to tell her the rest of the story. That hadn't been too easy for him. They'd had to hide from a gorgon of a woman who was there to manage him. Nanao remembered giggling as she showed him her little hiding spot under the stairs. Her parents had been angry with her afterwards but fortunately, the Kyoraku clan had put the blame squarely on their son.

As the years went past, she saw more and more of him. The Ise clan made some of the best kimono and yukata around, and Shunsui always came to them when he wanted something new. As Nanao grew older she helped him pick out things. He loved that horrible pink thing, but she still tried to steer him in other directions. Royal blue looked lovely on him. He flirted gently with her but she carefully avoided any entanglement with him. He was a high noble and very much above her, whatever Shunsui might think.

Nanao had always known things were hard for him. The few things he'd let drop and many things she'd directly observed indicated that his family disapproved of him. It seemed like they were trying to suck all the joy out of Shunsui's life, although she didn't know why. But she would always remember the look on his face when he told her he was getting married. She would remember because there was no joy, only painful resignation. When she'd asked him why he wasn't happy he'd told her that his fiancée had made it clear she was only marrying him to meet her family obligations. Nanao had been shocked by that. Shunsui could be annoying but he was also so warm and loving beneath it. Sometimes, he reminded her of a giant teddy bear. Who would be so cruel to him?

Not long after his marriage, Shunsui was sent to the Academy. Nanao knew he didn't want to go, that he considered it his families' way of getting rid of him. And she knew he was right. He was the third son of the family and they considered him a disgrace, with his love of sake and complete disinterest in his 'wife'. After he went, though, the letters started to arrive.

Nanao knew she really shouldn't keep them. It was almost indecent, keeping letters from a married man. She should burn them and tell him to stop writing. But somehow, she just couldn't. She could hear his voice in the letters and knew that writing them really meant something to him. Many of the letters were cheerful and upbeat but many of them really, really weren't. Still, she read and kept every one.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_I received my lashes today. My drill instructor told me that if I don't start shaping up, I'll most definitely die with a sword in my belly. I replied, so is that a good thing or not? I think they're getting a bit tired of me. Now I'm on punishment detail for a week, lifting rocks and putting them in place with a raw back. Ah, bliss. Still, I think it was worth it. At least no one will ever forget me…_

Nanao smiled as she read that, remembering his earlier letter about the prank he intended to pull. She'd written back telling him not to do it but he'd ignored her as always. At least he was cheerful about his punishment. The next letter though…

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_Well, I've graduated and received my assignment. Sulgio Outpost in the far, far North. It looks like my instructors are trying to make sure their wishes for me become reality. The only positive is that I'm going to be the commander. Wait, is that really a positive?_

_You wouldn't know, my lovely Nanao-chan, but the Northern border is a war zone. Constant skirmishes with bandits and nomads and things that cannot be named. That last part is thanks to the Thellasie river. It's infused with dark magic, running from the Surging Forest. A dark place but fortunately not our problem. The river is and it taints the land, leaving a residue of dark magic. People still live here because where else can they go? And it's our duty to protect them._

_They usually send the scum and troublemakers to the Northern border. I guess I'm in the second category, eh? Ah, wonderful. Now I wonder if I should have shut up and behaved like a good little boy. But that just wouldn't be me. At least if I die young my wife won't have to see me again, eh? Ah, enough of my self-pity. How did your sister's wedding go…?_

The letters had gotten sparser after he went to the Northern border. It was about that time that Nanao began volunteering her time at a local hospice. They cared for wounded soldiers, brought back from the conflicts in the North and East. She didn't tell Shunsui, but his letters were part of what moved her to do it. And after she started she found she was good at it. She was very skillful with a needle and thread. Did it make much difference if she was stitching fabric or stitching flesh? Although that was usually done, by the time the men reached her.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_It's so cold here. I can't begin to tell you… just this morning I tried to take a bath and got icicles in my hair! The men laughed at me and one of my lieutenants told me that I was an idiot to even try. We're a touch stinky up here…_

_I've found someone to keep me warm, though. His name is Juushiro. He's a minor noble of the Ukitake family. Never heard of them? Because they're all dead. They got on the wrong end of a clan war and he's the only survivor. He fled to the Guard to escape. They didn't assassinate him, by some miracle, but they did get him sent up here. Out of the way, eh?_

_I wonder if it horrifies you, that I'm with another man? But I care for him more than I ever cared for my 'wife'. He's so gentle, so kind. No one would go out of their way to anger him, though. He's deadly with a blade. Kami, I do love him…_

As it happened, Nanao wasn't horrified by that. She knew what a loveless farce Shunsui's marriage was. He could only see his wife twice a year, anyway. Even if she'd been the sweetest woman in the world they would have been strangers, and she wasn't that. Shunsui visited only because he had to and left as soon as he could. The cold of the Northern border was preferable to the cold of his so-called home.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_Ah, another load of scum to break in! I've already had to kick someone's ass. So much fun… his name was Grimmjow and he has the most amazing head of bright blue hair. Really. He lipped off to me and I asked if he happened to be part smurf. Then the fight started. Fortunately I won but I had to fight dirty to do it. The medics assure me that his testicles will eventually recover._

_Anyway, with the usual display of dominance complete, I believe I might have a relatively good crop of cutthroats this time. I prefer the crazy ones over the sniveling weasels. I seem to have quite of few crazies this time, although there's one who's rather odd and silent. That kind worries me. They can be unpredictable, we'll have to see how he turns out…_

_The spring here is so beautiful Nanao-chan. All the flowers suddenly bloom, all at once. I put a few in Juushiro's hair while he wasn't watching. The men were snickering at him for hours before he figured it out. He was angry at me, of course, but he couldn't stay upset. I'm just too adorable. Don't you agree?_

Nanao had smiled and written back that she most definitely didn't agree and his own testicles deserved to suffer, but the truth was, she agreed with him. He was just too sweet to stay angry at. They passed many cheerful letters until, almost three years later, she received something far more painful.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_I lost Juushiro last week._

_It took me this long to write anything… oh kami, it hurts so much. I never expected it, not like this. It all happened so suddenly._

_Juushiro's lungs were never strong. He was sick as a boy, some kind of lung fever, but he never let it slow him down. This winter, though, was so hard on him. I should have insisted he stay at the base but I didn't. Why didn't I? But then, he always hated to be coddled. He would tell me to my face that he was as tough as anyone and if I didn't treat him as an equal, he wouldn't have me for a lover. So I… I did. Juushiro…_

_That damned Grimmjow – no. No, it wasn't his fault. The ice should have been thick enough. But it wasn't and he went through… Juushiro went after him, the fool! He was worth ten of that thick headed idiot. He had a rope hanging at his belt and the silent one caught it. What's his name again? I forget. But he's the only reason we got them out alive. Juushiro managed to get Grimmjow and the silent one pulled them both back out, or we wouldn't have found the corpses until spring._

_But Juushiro caught a lung infection. I got him to bed right away and we did everything we could for him, all the soothing herbs and blankets and… and it wasn't enough. He just kept getting worse and worse. And then he was gone. Oh kami, how can I live without him?_

_I don't know Nanao. I just don't know._

She cried when she read that letter and wrote back her condolences immediately. She pressed some flowers, the moonflowers that were the symbol of the defunct Ukitake clan, and added them to the letter. It was some time before he wrote her again but then he sounded more like his usual self.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_I'm getting divorced! I must say, that took long enough. My darling wife is having a child and there is simply no way I can possibly be the father. I must say, I'm really quite relieved. Now I won't have to leave the comforts of home to go see her any longer. And my older brother has quite a brood so my family probably won't marry me off again. Excellent!_

_Wait, did I call this horrible place home? Eww… next you know, I'll be fond of these cutthroats and lunatics. Or maybe I already am? Ah, it's too late for me. Nothing for it. I belong here._

_Wish me luck Nanao-chan._

Nanao had smiled at that letter and sent him a small gift to celebrate his divorce. A box of chocolates, she was sure he would savor every bite. Shunsui loved chocolate covered marzipan and she doubted he saw much of it on the Northern border. And his return letter…

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_Thank you so much for the chocolates! They're even better than the divorce. I shared a few of them with my men. The silent one had such a funny look on his face. Grimmjow even asked him what was wrong and he just said 'sweet'. He's an odd character, that one. I was wrong about him. He's extremely predictable although he can be a discipline problem. Mainly because he's hard to pry out of bed, but Grimmjow and the others are always willing to drag him out. Once he gets moving, he's excellent. He's one of my best scouts._

_I don't blame Grimmjow for what happened anymore. It wasn't his fault. I knew that immediately, it's just taken a while to get it through my stubborn heart. But if it hadn't been him it would have been someone else. Ah, Juushiro, I miss him so. I wish he could be here to try your chocolates._

_I know he would have loved them._

For a long while, his letters were more cheerful. Accounts of skirmishes, some rather funny occurrences… most of those featured Grimmjow in some way… and another spring with more flowers. This time Shunsui tried to put them in Grimmjow's and silent's hair, but failed completely with Grimmjow. At first he'd thought he'd succeeded with the silent one but then he'd noticed the man had moved the flowers to better positions. Nanao would remember that later, when another letter arrived.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_There's something I think I should tell you. I need to tell someone and who else is safe to talk to? It's about the silent one. I should have named him before, but I just didn't want to mention him to you. You see, his name is Coyote Starrk and he's been my lover for six months._

_I feel disloyal to Juushiro even thinking about it. But I'm not in love with the man. He's just something to keep my bed warm, a body to satisfy my lusts on. That's what I thought, at least. Until today._

_I picked Starrk for a few reasons… he's a handsome man, Nanao. He slumps all the time but when he doesn't, you can see what a fine, lean figure of a man he is. His hair is chestnut and his eyes are steel grey. He has a small beard and a shy little smile, the few times he pulls it out. Easy on the eyes and good in bed, that's Coyote Starrk._

_I also picked him because he's a cutthroat piece of scum. At least, that was what I thought. I had his history from Grimmjow. Apparently, they both served a crime lord named Barragan. Although he was a front for someone else, someone they're both terrified of even now. Grimmjow ran some of their operations directly while Starrk was one of their very best assassins. It explains why he took to scouting so easily. The skills involved are quite similar. Anyway, the crime ring was eventually broken up and they were both given the choice of death or joining the Guard. They chose the Guard._

_I can hear you now… why would I replace Juushiro with a man not fit to polish his boots? Oh, Nanao-chan… because I don't want to fall in love again. I can't take another loss. I thought I could just dismiss Starrk as a pretty body and use him like a toy. Until today._

_It all happened with a letter. One of them brought it to my quarters and left it while I was out. I assumed it was from you. It never occurred to me it might be for Starrk. I opened it without thinking and was reading before I realized it was from a young girl. She called Starrk 'Wolf-chan' and asked when he would be coming home. Then scolded him for not writing better letters. It was the most adorable letter, Nanao. I never imagined he had family._

_It had been sealed with wax. I thought about trying to reseal it but finally decided to just own up to my crime. Starrk was only a little surprised, just shrugging it away before he took his letter. He took so long reading it, I began to wonder what was wrong. Then he looked up with that little smile of his and asked me if I could help him write a better letter. It turns out he can hardly read, let alone write. So… I helped him. And I found out the letter was from his little sister. His face lit up and he actually spoke, when I asked about her. He confided in me that he'd joined Barragan and learned the assassin trade to buy an apprenticeship for her. He'd just managed to afford it when everything came crashing down. She's apprenticed to a milliner and he sends her every bit of money he can. All this time, I thought he was just cheap._

_Is it horrible that I wish I didn't know all this? I wish he wasn't real to me. Just a handsome face and a warm body, not a man with a sister who loves him and waits for his letters. It hurts, Nanao._

_I don't want to fall in love with him._

She hardly knew how to reply to that, but she did her best. She couldn't tell Shunsui everything would be fine, since obviously that would be a lie, but she told him that opening a heart always hurt and Juushiro would never judge him for going on. And she pointed out that all he'd mentioned was his feelings. How did Starrk feel about all this? Apparently, he took that message to heart because his next letter…

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_I had a long talk with Starrk today. I learned many things, most of which I didn't really want to know. But things are clearer, at least._

_I started by telling him a bit about myself but he just smiled and said I didn't need to, he already knew. That confused me and, to be honest, left me feeling a bit insulted. He could see that and explained. Apparently, when he first joined us he thought I was attractive. That left me a bit stunned. That was almost six years ago!_

_Anyway, Starrk says he got Juushiro drunk and pumped him for information about me. It didn't take him long to figure out that Juu and I were together, so he abandoned his cause. After… Juushiro died, though, he kept trying to get closer to me. He says he knew I needed space but he wanted to be there for me. He wanted me to look towards him when I felt I was ready to go on._

_Kami, it hurt to hear that. This man I thought I was just using really has feelings for me. I felt like a complete bastard. He saw that in my face and tried to tell me it was alright, he'd understood I wasn't ready for anything serious. Starrk looked so worried, so concerned for me. I hugged him and he hugged me and I think I cried a little. Ah, it's hard to admit that. I feel like a girl. Oh, don't hurt me Nanao-chan!_

_Joking aside, I think I might be falling for this man. I don't want to, but I think I am. I hope he doesn't die on me. Is it selfish that I hope I die first?_

_Wish me luck Nanao-chan._

For the next year, Shunsui's letters were sparse. But Nanao heard stories in the market of the war being fought in the North. The bandits were more organized and vicious than ever before and there were more wounded soldiers coming to the hospice. One of them told her that the bandits were ambushing couriers and trying to cut supplies, so some letters had likely been lost. She wasn't too surprised. Nanao only hoped that her own letters were getting though.

The letters that did get through were rather grim. She found out that Grimmjow had been badly injured in a battle, helping Starrk cover a retreat. The combination of the blue man's fire and Starrk's quiet deadliness had helped them to disengage without being overrun. Shunsui had put them both in for a commendation although he expected nothing to come of it.

Then there were stories in the market of a great battle and victory in the North. Nanao was happy to hear it but worried for Shunsui. What had happened and how many lives had been lost? How was he doing? She was right to worry. His next letter arrived with the valiant and tragic details.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_You'll probably hear about our victory before I send you this letter. Kami, to win so much at such a dreadful cost. Starrk's dead. I sent him out to die…_

_It was his idea. Five different bandit camps had united and were getting quietly supplied by our 'friendly neighbors' in Allustra. Kind of them. I know why, too. If they could get us locked up fighting with 'bandits' far within our borders, they could finally nip off the Serrasen peninsula. They've been wanting to get that for over a hundred years._

_Now, bandits are usually running on a logistical shoestring, but not this time. With the extra support they were able to amass a fighting force bigger than mine. Not as well trained… I'll give my cutthroats this much, they are efficient killers… but large. So one night, Starrk made a suggestion. It was after we had sex… he gently reminded me that he was an assassin and pointed out that most bandit camps were essentially cults of personality. One strong man to pull them together. And with five different bands uniting, things had to be very delicate. If we could identify the one in charge and eliminate him it was quite likely the whole thing would fall apart._

_Of course, I told him he was crazy. How could he expect to pull that off? He just looked at me with those calm grey eyes and told me he was relatively sure he could get in and kill the man. Escaping afterwards was the part he wasn't sure about. I held him so tightly then and told him I wouldn't allow it. He rested a hand on my shoulder and told me that I had to think of the higher purpose. I asked him what in hell an assassin would know about higher purpose… he smiled, that sweet little smile of his and told me he'd always had a higher purpose. First it was his sister, but she doesn't need him anymore and he'll never be allowed to see her again. Which is true, they don't let men like him go visit their families… he said now, his purpose is the people we protect. And he pointed out to me that if the bandits got past us they would have a clear shot all the way down to Mount Legras. Looting and burning all the way. They might even reach you, Nanao-chan…_

_I told him we would have to see. Wait for the tactical situation to become clearer. He nodded and let it drop but we both knew he'd won. We both knew I'd send him. And I did… and he did it, Nanao-chan. He killed the bastard and when the camp descended into chaos we made our move. It was a great battle, Nanao. A hard, bitter fight but we smashed them in the end. They're utterly ruined now. The danger to the Kingdom is ended._

_We found Starrk's body in the aftermath. I won't give you the details but it wasn't a clean death. The only mercy is that we moved too quickly for them to linger on him… oh Starrk. I wish I could have taken your pain for you. I've put him in for the highest commendation I can. Hopefully, someone will finally listen. We might lose Grimmjow too. He took a bad wound to the chest and it's showing signs of infection._

_Oh Nanao-chan, why does it seem like everyone dies except me?_

She replied to him, of course. Although it was hard to know what to say to a letter like that… one thing she definitely assured him of was that he was still there for a reason. All the men looked to him and loved him, if he died they would completely lose heart. Somehow, she was sure that was true. Shunsui's band of cutthroats seemed to care deeply for him, from the things he had said.

Not long later, she received another letter.

_Dear Nanao-chan,_

_I can't believe it. A commendation finally came through! Starrk is being given the highest honor possible, the Cross of Valor. It comes with a five gold benefit and that's being sent to his little sister. I wrote her a letter to go with it, telling her how remarkable her brother was. Ah kami, it hurts but at least he's being acknowledged._

_We all are. I think it's the first time this has ever happened up here… I'm getting a commendation too, and the whole unit is getting a bonus. It's only going to amount to three silver each, when it's portioned out, but the men are abuzz. They don't get paid much so it seems like a lot of money. I swear, most of them have already spent it in their heads. Grimmjow certainly has. He actually managed to beat the infection. I swear, he's indestructible. Almost as bad as me, eh?_

_Speaking of me, I've put in quite a different request for myself. I want an honorable discharge and my retirement benefits. My men will be sad to see me go but I'm just too tired. I can't go on forever. I hope it gets approved. I can just see the bastards using the war clauses to extend my commission, whether I want it or not. I'm a bit too good at my job. Ah, what will I do if they do let me go? I have quite a lot of money saved up. I think I might go home to my clan for a while. They seem to be fonder of me now. I guess being a hero does that, eh? Then I think I might try to invest my money in something. What though? Do you have any ideas Nanao-chan?_

_Ah, I wish Starrk and Juushiro could both be here to see this._

Nanao did have plenty of suggestions for things he could invest in. She wrote him a long letter, detailing all the different markets she knew and the possible openings. Her family associated with all kinds of other merchant families and had interests in more than just clothing, so she had a great deal to work with. No reply came though. Or rather, not in letter form.

She was bringing food to the injured and recovering men at the hospice when she heard a laugh. It made her heart tighten a bit because it was so familiar. Setting that thought aside, she continued delivering the meals. It couldn't possibly be him.

She was beyond shocked when she stood in the doorway to one room and saw who was inside, resting comfortably in the bed.

"…Shunsui…?" She breathed his name, seeing the difference all the years had made. He was missing an eye. When had that happened? It was covered with a patch and there was a wicked scar starting just above that missing orb and leading down his cheek. And he looked so much older, so worn by what he'd seen and endured. He turned his head to see her and his remaining eye widened.

"Nanao-chan…?" He sounded disbelieving. She held back a small sob, managing to give him a smile. "Nanao, is that you?" His eyes ranged up and down her and she suddenly felt oddly self-conscious. He'd left when she was still only a girl. The years had changed her.

"Yes. Oh Shunsui, what are you doing here? Are you hurt?" She asked as she settled the tray of food in for him. He looked at it in bemusement before looking at her, a smile playing over his lips.

"Oh, just a bit. But I got my retirement!" He said lightly as she gave him a severe look. Then he twitched the blanket away and she winced at what was revealed. His left leg was missing just below the knee. The amputation scar was still shiny and red.

"What happened?" She asked, sure it had to be something brave and heroic. Although why did he look so embarrassed? And was he blushing?

"…A gopher hole." Shunsui said and she stared at him. A… what? "My horse stepped in a gopher hole and took me down with it. My leg was badly broken and, well…"

"A gopher hole?" She couldn't help it. She had to laugh. Shunsui looked a touch pained but also amused as her laughter rang out.

"Ah, everyone mocks me! You should have heard the men. Grimmjow has a laugh like a hyena… but at least they can't deny me my retirement anymore." Shunsui sounded so cheerful and Nanao smiled, taking his hand. "Ah, you shouldn't do that. What would your husband say?"

"Husband?" She blinked at him, confused. "I'm not married." She'd never found a man she wanted, although her family had been trying to get her to settle down for years. Shunsui blinked at her, a startled expression crossing his face.

"Really?" He asked and she nodded, surprised. She hadn't told him she was married in any of her letters. Why would he think so? "I… thought perhaps you were sparing my feelings." He admitted and she frowned, slightly insulted.

"Why would I do that?" She asked as he struggled to find an answer. "It doesn't matter… did you get my letter about where to invest your money?" She asked and he shook his head. "I have all kinds of ideas! If you want I can go over them with you." Nanao offered, feeling very enthusiastic. She really did have some good ideas… Shunsui smiled at her and it was oddly bittersweet.

"I think I would rather invest some time, Nanao-chan." He murmured before squeezing her hand. She stared at him, not understanding. "If you would consent to be courted by a battered old warrior like me." Her breath caught in her throat. So that was what he had meant about sparing his feelings. She felt… almost floating at the thought. She'd cared for him before he'd gone to war and the letters they'd exchanged had only deepened that feeling.

"What about your family?" She asked, remembering. That was why they'd been kept apart to start with. The Ise clan was not a good match for someone of his stature. Shunsui just smiled, amused.

"I'm not a boy they can push around anymore, Nanao-chan. I have my own life and my own money." He said lightly and she nodded. He definitely had a point. "Even my own influence, in certain circles. I'll marry for love now or not at all." He sounded so decisive. Nanao could only smile.

"I'll make time for you, Shunsui." She would be glad to invest that in the man she'd cared for, for so long.

She had been waiting for him for years.


	8. Where Else Would I Be?

Starrk's first memory was of agonizing pain.

The pain had been utterly earth shattering, soul searing. Soul breaking. Yes, that was a good word for it, because in that moment something had broken, shattered past all mending. And his body had broken with it, melting into something new and different than it had once been.

The next thing he recalled was rage. Frothing at the mouth, trying to escape his captors – the painted one, oh how he hated the painted one – shouts and screams as he managed to break free and then restraints going around him. He'd shattered those, kept going, until finally more restraints had caught and stopped him. He'd fought like a crazed animal because he WAS a crazed animal, but only hurt himself more.

That was when the man had tried to soothe him. It shouldn't have worked. It shouldn't have, but it had and Starrk had calmed enough to accept a piece of candy. That had made him calmer and he'd allowed them to put a collar around his neck. He'd watched with vague interest as the strangers yelled at the painted one, his tail wagging in pleasure as the man radiated both distress and anger. Then a hand had gone through his fur and the man had smiled at him before hooking a finger under the collar and pulling him away.

For a long time, he'd behaved like an animal. It had taken a long time for his mind to even partially recover. Now, Starrk was capable of thinking. He vaguely knew he'd once been someone else, he'd once had an upright form like the people – shinigami? – around him. Thinking about it, he glanced over himself.

He was not really humanoid anymore. Starrk had heard people call him a dog-boy, which seemed to fit. His legs were hinged like an animal and furred with grey. He had a great, wolf-like tail that expressed his emotions all the time. His arms were furred and ended in hands that were almost paws, not really capable of anything dexterous. Starrk's ears were on the top of his head, pointed and swiveling to meet any sound. And he could not speak. Any time he tried, all that came out were barks and yelps.

Turning around a few times, he settled into his nest of blankets for a good sleep. He liked to sleep. He did it most of the time and this little office was his kennel. Starrk didn't mind.

It was a good nest and a good place to sleep.

* * *

"Starrk-chan~ Are you awake?" That very familiar voice asked and Starrk yawned widely before sticking his head out of his nest of blankets before favoring his 'owner' with a sleepy blink. "Ah, there are you! How are you feeling today?"

_Good._ Starrk didn't bother opening his mouth, just giving the man in pink a lazy smile and beating his tail across the floor to signal his contentment. A bone, full of rich marrow and with strips of meat clinging to it, was offered. Starrk's ears went forward as he seized it in his paws with a delighted bark. He bit into it, enjoying the taste of blood and the feel of bone snapping under his sharp canines.

"Oh Starrk. Are you in there?" A hand went through his fur and Starrk looked up from his feast with a quizzical look. _Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?_ He nuzzled that hand lovingly before going back to his food. He heard a sigh and paused, his ears flicking as his 'master' went to his desk. Starrk could sense his faint distress but didn't know what to do about it.

He knew the man's name was Kyoraku Shunsui and everyone said that Starrk was his pet. Starrk didn't really think of it that way, though. If anything, he thought that Shunsui was his pet. After all, he brought Starrk food and did things for him all the time. He threw balls for him until he got tired, snuggled with him when there was a thunderstorm and Starrk was frightened. (He hated thunder and lightning. The flash and boom made him think of strange things, standing on two feet and light flashing from his hands.) Starrk couldn't really think of anything HE did for Shunsui. Wouldn't that mean the other man was HIS pet? Well, it didn't matter. Pet or master, master or pet, Shunsui belonged to him. Starrk made certain to stake his claim all the time, rubbing against the other man and deliberately getting his scent all over him.

The door opened and Starrk's nose twitched as he registered the familiar smell of the white haired man. His scent was a combination of a floral shampoo, the toothpaste he used every morning and also the faintest scent of sickness. That was actually a good thing. If the scent was faint the man was as well as he ever got. When the scent was strong… that was bad. Shunsui looked very sad when that happened.

"Shunsui, how are you doing?" The white haired man asked in a friendly way. Starrk just ignored them, chewing on his bone and doing his best to suck the marrow out. That was the best part but it took a lot of work.

"Oh, very well! You know me Juu. Working hard at hardly working." Shunsui said cheerfully as Starrk continued his mastication.

"Is there any change?" The voice was softer now, concerned, and Starrk glanced up. As he did he met those warm brown eyes. The man was looking at him funny again. Starrk had noticed he always did that, gazing at him with an odd combination of sadness and pity. Shunsui sighed.

"None. I think the man we knew is gone, Juu." He sounded pained and Starrk stopped his eating, licking his lips. He didn't like it when his 'master' was unhappy. "Not that we really knew him at all… except that he refused to kill when he had a chance, and it destroyed him in the end."

"Don't think of it that way, Shunsui." The white haired man said as Starrk whined, deep in his throat. He abandoned the bone to creep over to his master's side and deliberately shoved his head into his hand. That hand went through his fur and Starrk leaned into the attention, rubbing against his 'master' in an effort to give comfort. He didn't want him to be sad.

"It's nothing but the truth though. That cero he hit me with… he didn't use his full force. If he had, I would have been a cinder." Shunsui said before hooking his finger under Starrk's collar, lifting his head so he was looking into his eyes. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"

_I would never kill you. I love you._ Starrk tilted his head before managing to swipe a tongue across Shunsui's wrist. The shinigami chuckled, recognizing the affectionate gesture before letting go of his collar. That hand ran through his fur again and Starrk half-closed his eyes in canine bliss, his tail thumping on the floor.

"Stop beating yourself up over it Shunsui. We had no idea what Mayuri was up to. But I did have a question for you… you know that girl you met last week…?" Starrk felt Shunsui's attention shifting away from him, felt the good cheer returning. So he went back to his bone, picking it up in his paws before biting and snapping the bone again. More marrow oozed out and he began to suck, deeply enjoying his treat.

The only thing better than sleeping was a really, really good bone.

* * *

Starrk growled as he gripped the pink kimono in his teeth and tried to pull it away from the wearer.

"Ow! Starrk, stop it!" The victim of his attentions, his so-called master, was struggling to maintain his dignity and kimono. One or the other, or most likely both, was definitely going to go. "This really isn't – OW!" Starrk finally managed to get the kimono off his shoulders before tossing it to the ground and rolling on it. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

_You smell like Her!_ Starrk gave his master an accusing look from his place rolled up in the kimono. _You belong to me! Not Her!_ Although he didn't know which particular 'her' had left her scent all over his master. It wasn't the peony-girl he worked with. She had never left a scent on his master, although Starrk knew his master wanted her to. No, he had rutted with someone else. It made Starrk feel territorial. Shunsui was his, no strange female should be marking him! He set about correcting the situation, rubbing that kimono thoroughly with his own scent.

"I swear. You do this every time I have a date. Can you smell them on me?" Shunsui sounded amused but exasperated as he rescued his rather rumpled kimono from the dog-boy on the floor. Starrk just spread out, his tail thumping at that correct guess.

_Of course I can._ How could he not? The perfume was overwhelming. The female must have bathed in it. Starrk watched as his master settled in to do his work. He could tell he didn't really want to. Starrk tilted his head to one side before deciding to give his 'master' an excuse not to. Really, it was a beautiful day outside. Why should they both be cooped up?

It was the work of a moment to retrieve his ball. He carried it to Shunsui carefully in his hands. It might have been easier to carry it in his mouth but he knew Shunsui liked it when he tried to use his hands. He dropped the ball by his 'master's' feet and looked up hopefully.

"Ah, Starrk, I really need to get these reports done." Shunsui said and Starrk looked out the window meaningfully before looking back. He carefully widened his eyes and lowered his tail in dejection, trying to look as woebegone as possible. "I know what you're doing. Stop it." Shunsui sounded severe but Starrk knew he was weakening. Starrk just stared before reaching down and nudging the ball again. "…Ah… we only live once, don't we? Nanao-chan won't mind." Starrk barked in excitement as the ball was swept up. They both went outside into the warm sun and the beautiful air. The ball was tossed and Starrk took off running. An easy leap and he caught it in his mouth before it could hit the ground. Running back to Shunsui, he dropped the ball at his feet before looking up hopefully. Shunsui laughed and ran a hand through his fur before picking up the ball and throwing it again. Starrk ran, enjoying the feeling of just moving his body, the joy of sun and air and running fast.

For him, this was heaven.

* * *

"Oi, Kyoraku, why are you bringing that thing to a meeting?" The man with the yellow hair and the funny, big toothed grin peered at him. Starrk bared his teeth in a warning snarl. He didn't like this man, just like he didn't like most of the ones that smelled like dust and bone. The only exception was the one with the long, golden hair. Starrk liked that one because his bone smell had a different hint to it, one that said he might enjoy being pinned down and mated. Starrk had tried to do it once but that had been when he was still not thinking right. Right in the middle of a meeting had probably been the wrong time. Now, Starrk knew he needed to get that man alone, but he wasn't sure how. And his memory didn't work too well. He always remembered when he saw or smelled the man but tended to forget when Shunsui led him away.

"He wanted to come and was being a huge nuisance about it. I think he wants to see Rose and – " That was as far as Shunsui got before Starrk yelped in excitement and tore his leash out of Shunsui's grip. "Starrk!" There was a started yelp from the female who smelled like soap as he ducked under her legs. He went right under the table and out the other side, skidding to a halt against the big legs of the man who had just entered the room. Then he bounced excitedly, yapping his joy at the reunion. He _loved_ this one!

A big hand ruffled his fur and golden, canine eyes met his. _Calm down, pup. I know you're happy to see me but you're making a mess._ The thought was layered with amusement and Starrk immediately calmed, looking up at the wolf-headed taichou with adoration. The man took his chain but Starrk didn't mind. Whenever he was taken out of the Eighth Division, there was always a chain.

"Do you mind if I keep him for a while, Kyoraku taichou?" The man rumbled and Shunsui consented with a bit of relief. Starrk certainly didn't mind, taking a seat beside the wolf-headed man and putting his head in his lap. He loved this one because he was the only one who really seemed to know that Starrk wasn't just an animal. If Starrk thought at him hard enough, he could even hear and understand. Then his nose twitched as he smelled something. Looking around he spotted the one with the long golden hair. He tried to go but the chain brought him up short and he looked at the man with a soft whine. "Later, pup. Rose will still be there." He said with a chuckle as everyone else laughed. Starrk whined but went back to his spot, sighing as his ears were stroked. That felt so good…

Starrk napped as the meeting went on, just enjoying being close to one of his favorite people. When the meeting was over he got to greet the yellow haired one and sniff his crotch. That made him squeak but that alluring scent became stronger. It made Starrk want to mate him… but then he was pulled away by Shunsui, whining a bit and glancing back. The man's cheeks were pink. What did that mean?

Thoughts of the man were chased out of his head, though, as he was brought back to his home and given another good bone. Starrk settled in to chew on it, feeling wonderful.

This had been a very good day.

* * *

Starrk's fur stood on end as he felt the power building.

He didn't like it in the least, little bit because it was very, very familiar. It was Shunsui and he was doing something dangerous! Starrk could feel the danger in the air, feel the way his 'master's' reiatsu was warping and fighting against… what? He wasn't sure. The dog-boy whimpered inconsolably as the power became stronger and stronger. Reaching up, he gripped the collar around his neck and began trying to pull it off. If he could just remove the collar he could do something! He knew it.

Growling, Starrk concentrated on pumping out his power. He'd never really tried to break free in earnest before. Why would he have? He had everything he needed here, food and ball throwing and a 'master' he loved. But now Shunsui was in danger and Starrk was not going to stand for that. He had to free himself of the collar. He had to!

The collar finally shattered and Starrk yelped in excitement before he moved faster than he ever had before. There was a bang as he moved, but he didn't care. He zipped out and through the Division, following the scent Shunsui had left behind with unerring precision.

When he found his 'master', Starrk let out a howl of rage. He could scent the blood in the air, see how Shunsui was wavering on his feet as he tried to fight with only one sword. His other arm was so badly wounded he couldn't use it and blood was spilling all over the ground. He was surrounded by many enemies. They smelled a bit like bone and dust but also like something really strange, sick and acrid. Starrk leapt as they turned, snarling like an animal as he lashed out with his claws and power. Bright blue light built on his claws. He unleashed it with a roar before wading into them.

"Starrk!" He was vaguely aware of Shunsui behind him, covering his back as they fought together. Starrk remembered this, remembered how to fight this way. A strange time flashed behind his eyes, when he was fully an animal and had fought with claws. Another time, when he'd fought on two legs, also came to him. Then the enemies were pulling back, regrouping? Starrk could feel Shunsui's tension and knew they were going to do something bad. But it didn't matter. He would stop them!

His body glowed with blue energy as Starrk sought something that was so close yet just out of reach. Abruptly there was a snap in his body and soul and suddenly, he had two legs again. He had hands that weren't paws and weapons that weren't claws. Starrk had no time or inclination to question it. He lifted his weapon and sighted on his enemies.

"Cero Metralleto." The sound of his own voice was odd on his ears. Thousands of cero… cero?... screamed towards the enemy. They weren't ready at all and several of them were obliterated instantly. Others fled from them and Starrk could smell their terror. As they vanished, though, he could sense another fear… behind him?

"Starrk." Starrk turned curiously and met Shunsui's eyes. His master was looking at him with… what? Tension. Fear. Sadness. Guilt. Starrk wasn't sure what to do. He opened his mouth to speak –

And abruptly his power ran out. Starrk yelped in surprise as there was another snapping sensation and he was suddenly back on all fours. Looking up at Shunsui, he quickly went to his master and whined, looking at all the blood. It wasn't flowing freely anymore but Shunsui wasn't moving his arm. He was hurt and needed help!

"Oh sweet kami." Shunsui sounded a bit stunned and Starrk whimpered before burying his face against his 'master's' robe. "What happened to your collar?" Starrk hesitated a moment at that question. But he couldn't talk now and it would only take a moment… he vanished with that weird bang noise, ignoring Shunsui's call. He found the broken collar and picked up the biggest piece in his mouth before coming back. Sitting at Shunsui's feet, he dropped the broken piece of black metal before lowering his ears and tail dejectedly. He was sure he wasn't supposed to have done that. But Shunsui had been in danger. "You broke it?" Shunsui sounded disbelieving. Starrk whined, hunching a bit in anticipation of his anger. "Ah Starrk, it's fine. Thank you. You helped me a great deal." A hand went through his fur and Starrk looked up, his ears coming forward a bit. "I need to go to the Fourth. Maybe you should come with me. Unohana should take a look at you…" Shunsui was wavering a bit on his feet and Starrk tried to help him, pushing himself up on his legs as much as he could. That made him unbalanced, though. He wasn't built to be upright anymore. Then he smelled something and looked up gladly as the man with white hair appeared.

"Shunsui!" Starrk barked encouragingly as the man put an arm around his 'master's' shoulders, helping him. He followed along, concerned for Shunsui. Soon his master was being tended to. A nice smelling woman tried to lead him away but Starrk wasn't having any of it. He settled himself by Shunsui's bed and would not be moved. Resting his chin on the blankets he closed his eyes in bliss as Shunsui ran a hand through his fur.

His master was fine and the enemies were all gone. Everything would be fine now.

* * *

"…We still can't restore him." Shunsui sounded so depressed. Starrk flicked his ears, trying to rouse himself. He'd been given candy again, the kind that made him sleepy. Then he growled as he caught a scent he didn't like. The painted man had been near him! He hated that man and growled at him whenever he saw him. "Mayuri and Unohana both examined him again. They're not sure how he resumed his old form."

"At least you know he's still in there, Shunsui." The white haired man sounded compassionate. Starrk's head came up as he blinked groggily. Then he shook his head, trying to chase the cobwebs away.

"He saved me. He should hate me for what I did to him, but he saved me." Starrk tried to escape his blankets, go to Shunsui, but slumped over. It was so hard sometimes, when they gave him a lot of the sleepy candy. He felt weird afterwards. But his 'master' sounded so depressed. He needed to go to him!

"Shunsui, stop it. You just defeated him. Mayuri is the one that did this to him."

"But I didn't – oh." Starrk finally managed to get his limbs working and went to Shunsui, head-butting his leg to distract him. "Ah Starrk. I have something for you." Starrk looked up into tired, sad grey eyes. Shunsui reached onto his desk, pulling something off. Starrk saw it was a new collar, red and black with something odd on the front. It looked like it had lots of holes in it. "Here…" Starrk sat obediently still as the new collar was snapped into place. Nuzzling Shunsui's hand, he accepted the restraint of his power. He'd never really noticed it before – he'd never gotten the collar off that he could remember – but now he knew the collar was meant to hold him back. Starrk didn't really mind, if that was what Shunsui wanted. "Starrk, this collar has a microphone. It will make it possible for you to speak. You need to vibrate your reiatsu." Shunsui said to him and Starrk blinked. Vibrate his reiatsu? He didn't know what a 'microphone' was but he would like to be able to talk. "Can you try it?" Starrk tried to look at the collar but his chin was in the way. He retreated to his blankets, raising a hand to his throat as he sat and thought. Vibrate… "I don't think he understands."

"Just give him time Shunsui. How are the repairs coming?" The white haired man said as Starrk slowly worked out what he was supposed to do. Yes, this made sense. He delicately tested it, and the collar made tiny sounds. Nothing like words though. The white haired man was about to leave when Shunsui knelt beside him. Starrk looked up as a hand went through his fur.

"Starrk, are you in there?" He said sadly and Starrk vibrated his reiatsu, finally saying what he'd thought dozens of times.

"_Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?"_ The voice from the little thing on his neck was perfect and Shunsui's eyes went wide as the white haired man gasped. Starrk beat his tail against the floor happily, enjoying the looks on their faces.

Of course he was here. Where else would he be?

* * *

Author's Note: Should I do a sequel of this with smut and mpreg? Hehe...


	9. Along Came a Spider

Juushiro frowned as he tried to purify a tiny hollow. It was only one of many, agile and very difficult to catch. He finally hit it with a blast of lightning and it shriveled, vanishing with a tiny scream.

Juushiro paused to catch his breath, looking around. He couldn't believe there was such a nest of hollows in Soul Society. Of course, it was all due to the bizarre, unholy phenomena in the middle of the valley. If he hadn't seen the lake with his own eyes Juushiro would never have believed it.

This valley was a caldera. That, immediately, was a very strange thing. Soul Society had no known volcanos, unsurprising since the whole place was basically made of reishi. It wasn't like the physical world, which was probably why the lake in the middle of the caldera was so strange. During the day, it spat out positive reishi, infusing the air with an incredibly dense power. But at night…

Juushiro looked towards the lake. He could see the furnace like eruptions of dark reishi. They were feeding the massive flocks of hollows that lived here. Basic hollows swarmed the lake at night. Adjuchas paused to drink from the banks. And hundreds of these tiny little spider hollows took sustenance from the waters in between preying on each other.

His entire Division was doing its best to clean out the place. Now that they knew this place existed, it was necessary to purify the hollows. A treacherous part of his mind informed him that the hollows had never been a problem until now… they couldn't leave the lake, if they did they lost their easy source of food… but he ignored it. It was their duty to rid the world of hollows and soon, this corner of Soul Society would be safe again. Although what they would do to keep the hollows from returning was beyond him. Perhaps Mayuri would come up with something.

A small scrape was the only warning he had. Battle hardened reflexes saved him as a sword headed for his head. Juushiro countered, his blade scraping against a weapon that was dark as night. He briefly registered pale skin and light brown, short hair before his opponent leapt away. His eyes went wide as he beheld his opponent.

She was a hollow. That much was obvious from the hole in her chest, positioned directly over her heart. But other than that, she was bizarre beyond belief. Juushiro almost thought she was an arrancar, but he had the feeling that Aizen had nothing to do with this particular monster. Her face reminded him of Kiyone… girlishly cute, but with a cruel smile that was nothing like his 3rd Seat had ever worn. Her hair just brushed her shoulders, held in place with a small circlet of white bone. Her breasts were full and covered only by a very brief little bikini top.

What made her horrifying beyond measure was her lower body. Her hips met with the black, chitinous body of a giant spider. Juushiro felt his gorge rising as he looked at the hideous juxtaposition. He'd never liked spiders…

"Why are you killing my children, shinigami?" She said, her eyes raking him over. They were milky white, almost blind looking. But he was sure she could see quite well.

"Your… children?" He asked and she smiled, amused now.

"You must be dense. My little spiderlings. It is quite unfair, what you are doing. They are far too weak for you." She said pleasantly and he swallowed, his eyes widening. Juushiro had never, in all his life, heard of a hollow breeding. "May I ask why shinigami have come to our little haven? It is so out of the way for you."

"You are hollows and we are shinigami. It is our duty to purify you." He said bluntly. The hollow tilted her head to one side, waiting for him to say anything more. Then she shifted, her eight legs moving idly.

"That's all?" She asked and Juushiro just looked at her. Wasn't it enough? "Ah. What a pointless thing to die for… and die you will, with all the others. Already, you are doomed."

"I think not, hollow." Juushiro said with absolute certainty. His entire Division was present. They would easily be able to handle the hollows here and he would take this thing. She laughed breathily before suddenly lunging at him. Her speed was good but not taichou level and he countered easily, not even bothering with his shikai. Her reiatsu felt lieutenant level at best.

He almost didn't survive finding out how wrong he was. After a bit of fencing about, the female hollow suddenly got serious. Her speed abruptly increased as her reiatsu also raised. Juushiro released his shikai just in time to absorb and redirect a blood red cero. She dodged with terrifying grace, her expression not surprised, merely considering.

"A cero. I see… absorption and redirection? Yet so fast. Impressive." She murmured as their blades continued to clash. Her legs seemed like a weak point to him but he quickly discovered it was not so. The armoring there was strong enough that she often used them to block his blows. "But it will avail you nothing. Even now, my mates seal the mountain passes against your kind. None will escape our trap."

"What?!" Juushiro extended his senses and suddenly felt a bit of panic. His shinigami… he could feel them fighting hard, very hard. And there were power signatures out there, hollow powers rising that dwarfed theirs. "What are you?" He suddenly snapped out and the female in front of him chuckled, her voice far too sweet for something so evil.

"Silly man, I am a vasto lorde. And I have been raising my children here for millennia. My daughters I exile to raise their own broods while my sons stay, like the good boys they are. Tell me, are you a good boy?" She said before laughing. Something about that very much amused her. "I think you would make a better daughter than a son…" Juushiro had no idea what she was talking about and he didn't care. His eyes narrowed with determination to end the abomination in front him.

The end finally came when she managed to take him by surprise. Juushiro knew she was a spider but still didn't expect her to capable of shooting webs. She timed it perfectly, managing to pin him between two trees. His swords were both badly tangled in the webbing but his mouth was free.

"Hado – mrph!" A hand suddenly went across his mouth and Juushiro struggled violently as he felt teeth tear into his shoulder. There was a spreading coldness that he recognized, to his horror, as some kind of venom.

Then nothing.

* * *

When he awoke next it was to a scene out of a horror novel.

Juushiro lifted his head, vaguely aware of a strange push and pull, almost like he was in a full body hammock. His eyesight was hazy but gradually cleared to reveal the room. As it did, his breath caught and his mind briefly locked up as he tried to process what he was seeing.

He was in some kind of underground cavern. There were silky, silvery webs in every corner of the place, delicate lines of webbing leading between them. As he watched, tiny little spiderling hollows ran across those lines, almost looking like they were playing. But they couldn't be, could they? The piping sounds they made almost sounded like words.

What shocked him into numb horror, though, were the shinigami caught in the webs. He could see Kiyone, looking wan and pale, her eyes closed and her arms and legs spread, captured in the web. He could see Sentaro. His eyes were open and he was looking at his partner in absolute hopelessness. Then he looked towards Juushiro and their eyes met.

"I'm sorry taichou… I'm sorry…" He sounded so heartbroken, so defeated. Juushiro opened his mouth to reassure the man that it wasn't his fault but found that he couldn't. There was webbing over his mouth. Strangely, it didn't stop him from breathing but it did stop his voice.

"Silence, shinigami." A male voice, deep and heavy as a gong, said. Another spider hollow walked through the cavern, casually seizing a spiderling and biting into it. The little thing shrieked and gore splattered over the stone, making Juushiro's gorge rise. "When will she be back? I'm getting hungry and these shinigami are looking damned tasty."

"She'll be back when she gets back. And stop eating the offspring, it's hardly fair." A second voice said and Juushiro turned his head to see another male spider hollow sitting in a web. His hair was long and golden and looked very well groomed. "Settle down. Have a nap." He suggested and the first growled.

"I'm not like you, I can't sleep all the damned time." The first hollow said irritably before he paused, licking his bloody lips. His hair was jet black and cut extremely short and his face, what Juushiro could see of it, was quite handsome. "Why don't we spar?"

"Boys." Came a voice from above and Juushiro swallowed as he saw the female hollow from earlier. She slid down a rope of fine silk, dangling in the air for a moment upside down before flipping herself upright in a smooth, graceful move. Truthfully, everything about her was smooth and graceful… if you could appreciate spiders. "Have you started the sorting?"

"Yes. I would say only the little girl and the man with the white headband are worthy of you, mother-mate." The second male said, climbing down from his place in the web. "And the taichou, of course."

"Plenty of the others are good food for us. I'm hungry mother. Please pick one out for me?" The first male said and Juushiro closed his eyes, struggling not to cry. So this was to be their fate? The female sighed.

"Always, always you are hungry… this one." She selected his eighth seat and Juushiro struggled with all his might against his bindings. "And no playing with your food. They fought well, we will eat them in a humane fashion."

"Humane?" The hollow sounded amused but then winced as a leg hit him in the back of his head. "Yes, mother-mate." He said obediently before crawling up the form of the bound man. He was awake and aware, but gagged by some webbing. His eyes were round with terror but as Juushiro watched, the spider hollow bit him and those eyes rolled back into his head. Then the hollow settled in, nursing his unconscious snack. Juushiro wanted to vomit.

"You see, shinigami taichou, we have three kinds of venom." The female said in amusement and his attention was pulled back to her. "The first we have deadens all pain and usually causes the victim to fall unconscious. Gentle, no? The next we have merely creates paralysis. It does absolutely nothing to deaden the victims' senses or rid them of pain. Cruel, no?" She laughed softly and he desperately wanted to rid the world of this terrifying monster. "The last we have is our proper feeding bite. It is a venom that causes the flesh to liquefy, so we can eat it up. Imagine that paired with paralysis… but I only do that to victims I hate. I do not hate you, shinigami, so your death will be easier than that." She promised but he felt no gratitude. One way or another they were going to be eaten alive.

He was forced to watch, utterly helpless, as the female began portioning out his shinigami. Several she earmarked for her sons. Others, mostly unseated, were disdainfully relegated to spiderling food. The hollows handled that by using their first bite on them, then cutting them free of the webs and placing them in a special spot designated for the spiderlings. Soon, dozens of those tiny little hollows were swarming his fallen men. They did not look human at all yet and he wondered, feverish and sick, when they would gain their human like attributes. Or perhaps some of them never would?

Then the female examined Sentaro and Kiyone before claiming them for herself. Sentaro was struggling to be strong, his face pale yet composed as the hollow bit him on the throat. Then his whole body went lax as the venom took effect, easing him into unconsciousness. That was good because she immediately went down, tearing away the clothing from his abdomen before biting that firm flesh. Juushiro closed his eyes but couldn't blot out the sounds, as she sucked up the liquefied muscle and internal organs. Eventually, the sounds of sucking and swallowing stopped. He opened his eyes but then gagged as he saw his very pale, very dead third seat. Sentaro's belly was a hollowed out ruin.

Kiyone got the same treatment and Juushiro couldn't help the tears that slid down his cheeks. How could he have failed them this way? He'd led them all to ruin… but they'd had no idea so many powerful hollows were here. Yamamoto had ordered the Thirteenth to cleanse this area, confident in their strength. How had it all gone so horribly wrong?

"Do not despair, shinigami. Soon, they will be reborn. And so will you…" Juushiro didn't understand what she meant and couldn't ask, even if he'd wanted to. There was a flash of pain as fangs dipped into his neck, injecting their venom. He struggled against it but it easily overcame him.

Then there was nothing but darkness.

* * *

The next thing Juushiro was aware of was breaking out of a leathery sack.

He wasn't really Juushiro, of course. He had no name at this point. He was only one of a hundred little spiderlings escaping their warm, comfortable homes for the dangerous but necessary first step in their evolution. He was vaguely aware of a larger form above them, moving with delicate care not to crush any of their fragile bodies. Then the form bent over and spat out something that smelled _delicious._ Spiderlings swarmed it with happy little cries, devouring the substance. The new little spiderling joined in, jostling his siblings aside in an effort to get as much as he could.

Being a pre-verbal spiderling wasn't really much fun. It was definitely an eat-or-be-eaten existence. Everything seemed to prey on them. Other hollows ate them, sometimes their sires ate them – there was one in particular to be wary of – and most of all, they ate each other. Although that involved a surprising amount of strategy. Sometimes, one spiderling became far more powerful than his or her siblings and thought he or she could kill any of the others. Then, inevitably, the less powerful spiderlings banded together and brought the strong one down. Alliances came and went, in their mad little scramble to survive and thrive.

This particular spiderling had an alliance with two of his siblings. He wasn't sure why he'd picked them. They just seemed right. They smelled good and the way they bit and played with each other amused him. Something about them just seemed so familiar. He wasn't sure what it was but he liked them and that was good enough.

Together, they tricked and tormented their siblings mercilessly. They didn't just eat them themselves, they tricked them into various traps. Leading them to destruction at the hands of other menos, betraying them in various ways… oh, they were tricky little spiderlings. But they had to be. They all sensed that only a few could survive and be accepted and all three of them were determined to be the ones that made it.

One day, a critical step in their evolution happened. They would never be certain what caused it. But all three of them were tired, so tired, so they spun little webs around themselves. And when they woke up the next day, they were different. Little hands – hands? – tore free of the webbing and the little spiderling in charge spoke his first word.

"…Mami…?" And the much bigger spider, who seemed much smaller now, turned and _looked_ at him. For the first time, her eyes really focused and he knew that she saw him.

"Mami?"

"Mami!" His two companions broke free of their webs and their piping little voices joined his. She smiled and knelt beside them, cuddling them in her arms. For the first time, they all felt truly loved.

Later, of course, they would understand how it worked. The great spider hollows, the spider vasto lorde, birthed as many as a hundred babies at once. They didn't take care of them because they couldn't. They just fed them, in a rather indifferent fashion, and waited for them to speak. Speaking was a sign to instincts that a child was really _real._ That a spiderling had reached the point of survival and now could be given individual attention.

And that was precisely what happened. Over the next few years, their mami and papis taught and prepared them for their lives in the outside world. Juushiro learned all of their names… their mami was Liee Arana. Their papi with the golden hair was Tarran Arana and their last papi, with the black hair, was Mssiro Arana. And they gave themselves names. He was Juushiro. His two siblings were Sentaro and Kiyone.

Juushiro liked Tarran a lot. He was lazy but funny and vaguely reminded him of someone, someone very important. He would often give them rides, letting all three of them settle on his back as he moved faster than the children could. They would hold on and squeal in joy as he moved with such grace and power. Someday, they all knew they would have this power too.

None of them liked Mssiro as much. He seemed to regard them as a nuisance to be avoided. They returned the favor and avoided him as much as they could. They all loved their mami, though. Liee was always teaching them things, patiently explaining over and over until they understood. Then, one day she set them down for a very serious talk.

"It is almost time for you to enter your reproductive maturity." Their mami said bluntly and all three of the children looked at each other, daunted. That sounded a bit scary. "Juushiro, you identify as male. I understand and respect that but you should know that you are the strongest. Normally, a male does not serve a weaker female. It would be more fitting if you were female."

"But I… uh… how…?" Juushiro stammered, wondering what she meant. Although none of them really had sexual attributes yet. Kiyone was as flat and boyish as Sentaro, even though she identified as female. His mami smiled before explaining.

"Before you go into sexual maturity you will spin another web. This time, though, you will have a choice. You can choose if you wish to be male for female." She said as they listened intently. "Normally, a female will rule. We are bigger and stronger." That was true, with regards to their spider bodies at least. Their mami was quite a bit larger than their papi's. "If Kiyone becomes female but you do not, she will be in charge. But from what I have observed of you that would be odd, at best."

"I wouldn't like that…" Kiyone murmured and Sentaro nodded. They both seemed quite disturbed by the idea and Juushiro frowned. He was reluctant to become female although… a strange image flashed through his mind. A man in pink, speaking to a woman and smiling. Something about that image hurt and made him want to be female. Who was that man? Why did he feel so important?

"But there can be two females in a group?" He asked. Their mami didn't tolerate another female. She nodded.

"There can be, if one is clearly subordinate to the other. That would be no problem for you." She said and they all nodded. Juushiro was clearly the strongest. "I should tell you more about how we reproduce."

"Oh mami! Tarran gave us the sex talk. He even showed us." Kiyone said, embarrassed, as Sentaro hunched down on all of his legs. Juushiro winced. That HAD been very useful information but quite embarrassing. Their mami laughed, her voice a sweet tinkle.

"No sweety, not the sex talk. I mean reproductive details. We're not like other breeds of hollows." She said as they exchanged glances. "Normal hollows mate to combine broken pieces of souls, in the attempt to create new life. It hardly ever works, but they try. We're different… we swallow down whole souls and gradually accumulate them. When enough powerful ones are present, we feel the need to lay our eggs. In some ways, this is good… we never lack for offspring… but our children are not truly natural born. Other hollows can produce whole souls, similar to a shinigami infant, but we do not. You are all hollowified souls."

"Oh… what's the difference?" Juushiro asked and she smiled at him.

"True hollow offspring have no holes and are born with the potential for great power. The three of you have holes and you may or may not eventually make vasto lorde." She said as Juushiro frowned and Kiyone and Sentaro exchanged a glance. "You, Juushiro, will undoubtedly become vasto lorde. Kiyone and Sentaro may as well but it will take longer. Also, one important point to remember is that you are not technically related to each other, or even your own offspring. The DNA and souls you take from your prey are stored within you and converted to a hollow form. They take nothing from you. Mating is not required for a laying, although the reiatsu boost from it is helpful."

"Oh…" Juushiro frowned as he thought. The next question came to him unbidden. "So when you ate us, you did it because we were strong enough to be good children?" He could vaguely remember being held in webs before being eaten. The thought didn't distress him. She nodded.

"Precisely. The weaker went to your fathers, where they will have no possibility of rebirth. I knew you three would be good and strong." She said affectionately, reaching out to ruffle pure white hair. "Now, are you ready to begin your final transformation?"

"Yes. I will be female." Juushiro said decisively. Somehow, he was sure that would be better when he faced the man in pink again. And he would. Somehow, he was absolutely certain he would.

It felt like no time at all before they were ripping their way out of their final webs. Juushiro paused to look herself over. Her skin was pale as moonlight and her breasts were a good size and well formed. Her hair was very long now, cascading over her back and shoulders. Looking up he saw that Kiyone was girlishly cute now, small but attractive. Sentaro looked very strong and very male, settling easily into his new form.

They stayed with their parents only a short time after that. It was time for them to leave, make their way in the world. There was no reason to leave the caldera, though. It was a great place and while it was mostly claimed, some of the adjuchas could be bullied or killed. It didn't take them long to claim a cave, driving off the previous owner. The adjuchas left, spitting curses at them, to steal someone else's den in turn. The young spiders did not care.

They would settle in to become stronger. Then, Juushiro thought she would go find the man in pink.

Somehow, she knew he was very important to her.

* * *

"Oh Juushiro, I'm so sorry." Shunsui looked at the grave for a moment before kneeling and setting a bundle of flowers in front of it. It was far from the only one. Even decades later, everyone remembered Juushiro.

Although what they remembered, most of all, was the manner of his passing. Shunsui closed his eyes in pain at the thought. They had scouted out the caldera in the daytime before determining how they would cleanse it when the hollows came out at night. They had anticipated it wouldn't be easy, with at least a half-dozen adjuchas to deal with. But the Thirteenth had been prepared for that. They hadn't been ready for the vasto lorde. Somehow, the powerful hollows had been hidden completely in the daytime. They had only come out at night, like pus from a gangrenous wound.

Those super powerful hollows had used the dark energy of the lake to seal the only entrance to the caldera. What had followed had been a massacre. The whole place had been a trap and they had walked right into it. They had worked frantically to break the seal but by the time they managed it, it was too late. By the time they had done it, it was morning. They'd found plenty of bodies but no survivors.

Yamamoto had deemed the place too dangerous then and now every entrance they could find was sealed with powerful kido. There were fears that there might be more ways out of that place, but no one was actually too worried. The vasto lorde were clearly feeding off the lake and if they left the caldera, they left that energy behind. Shunsui wished they had just left the hollows alone in the first place. If they hadn't stuck their nose in Juushiro would be alive.

Sighing, he stood up and looked at the grave a final time. He was about to turn away when he heard just the faintest hint of movement. Frowning, he looked around. He was deep in the Seireitei. There should be no danger here… And that would have been true against anyone else. But his enemies – although they didn't think of themselves that way – knew the Seireitei as well as anyone alive. The decades that had passed since their 'deaths' hadn't changed much.

"Shunsui, is that my grave? And are those snowdrops? That's so sweet of you." The voice made him pull out his swords. It was sweet and female yet oddly familiar. Shunsui swallowed as he almost recognized Juushiro's voice in it. Almost, but not quite… this was definitely a woman.

"If I were still alive I'd have done that!" A loud voice said and he blinked. That sounded like…? But it couldn't be.

"I would have done it first! And better!" A second female voice said and Shunsui listened in disbelief, trying to pinpoint where the voices were coming from. The female voice that might or might not be Juushiro was just strange, but these ones were perfectly recognizable and the bickering was even more familiar. "I'd have gotten him a whole flower garden!"

"HAH! I'd have gotten her the most amazing… hey, it's her, remember? Juushiro's female now! You're so stupid!"

"I'm stupid? You're stupider! And you're ugly!" Shunsui almost wanted to cry. This was…

"Sentaro? Kiyone? Did you survive?" He said but even as he said it, he knew it was impossible. They couldn't possibly have survived that. But would they lie to him about it? Strangely enough, the answer to that was no.

"Technically, no. Are we really dead?" Sentaro sounded troubled as Kiyone sighed.

"We were always dead, idiot! We were souls, remember? And you even came from the Living World!" Kiyone said irritably and Shunsui swallowed. Not too many people knew that about Sentaro.

"Are you hollows?" He asked, determined to get this on course. And he still couldn't pinpoint them or detect their reiatsu. It was alarming. There was a brief pause before Juushiro spoke.

"And if we are, will you kill us?" She asked and Shunsui just looked into the growing darkness. "I see." The female voice sounded sad and Shunsui had to struggle against an unaccustomed stab of guilt. As shockingly familiar as they sounded, they had to be hollows. He needed to give them konso, redeem their souls.

"That's not right. She loves you! You were best friends!" Sentaro said before Kiyone interrupted.

"But I love her even more!" She said sharply and Shunsui thoughtfully considered the echoes. He thought he was finally getting a read on her position.

"HAH! I love her the most!"

"Darlings." Juushiro's gently reproving voice easily cut through the banter. "While I appreciate your declarations of undying love, I don't think this is the time. Come, let's show him what we are." Shunsui tensed as three shadows slowly slid out of the trees, riding little threads of spider silk.

"Oh my kami." He breathed as he finally saw what had become of his best friend. "Juushiro, is that really you?" Althought he could see the resemblance. Her face was a feminized version of Juushiro. Her breasts were quite beautiful, hiding behind a very brief little bikini top made out of black leather. Her hollow hole was in her upper abdomen, right beneath her ribcage. A necklace of bone decorated her throat, her mask remnants. There was a double belt of leather around her hips and in it dwelled two swords, mimicking Juushiro's shikai.

That, though, was where the resemblance ended. Shunsui's eyes traveled over the rest of her body and he couldn't hold back an atavistic shudder. He'd never been particularly afraid of spiders but he'd suddenly discovered that his feelings changed when confronted by a giant one. He quickly glanced at Sentaro and Kiyone and found that they were practically identical to their old selves, above the hips. Sentaro's hollow hole was his left eye while Kiyone's was in the very centre of her chest. Sentaro's mask fragments formed a bracket around his missing eye, while Kiyone's were a rather pretty pattern on her hips. They both wore leathers similar to Juushiro's.

"I'm afraid so. I came here for you, Shunsui. I want you to join me." She said, a hint of sorrow in her voice. Her two minions spread out behind her, their hands dropping towards their swords. Shunsui's eyes narrowed.

"Surely you don't expect me to do that." He said evenly and she flashed him a smile that took his breath away. It was so like Juushiro's.

"No, I expect you to fight. Kiyone, Sentaro, leave this to me." She said firmly and there was a soft protest but the two lesser powered hollows backed away. "If I fall go home to mother." Juushiro said even more firmly and Shunsui wondered who 'mother' could be. Then her swords rasped out of their sheaths. "I'm sorry Shunsui."

"I'm sorry too, Juushiro." He whispered before the battle was joined.

If he'd had any doubts that he was facing Juushiro, the battle would have dispelled it. He'd sparred against his best friend dozens, hundreds of times over the years and Juushiro knew every one of his tricks. This hollow did too, and it seemed some of the powers of Juushiro's shikai were still active. Juushiro absorbed the spinning top and tossed it back at him, not to Shunsui's surprise. She knew the color game and leaped up off her shadow every time Shunsui tried to use troll under the bridge. Nothing could leap quite like a spider. It was frustrating, to say the least.

The spider-Juushiro suddenly pressed the attack and Shunsui found himself forced back. Powerful blows kept moving him and he had a sudden suspicion. He tried to dodge to the side but a leg struck him in the stomach. He went flying back into… what?

"Well done!" Juushiro congratulated her former Third Seats as Sentaro and Kiyone both preened. While they had been fighting the two of them had built a great trap of webbing, between two of the graves. Juushiro had been maneuvering him towards it the entire time! Shunsui opened his mouth to attempt a kido but webbing drifted over his face, muffling any sound. "Good. Now, let's get him out of here. We don't really have time…" Fangs bit deep into his shoulder and Shunsui stiffened for a moment before darkness began to creep over his vision. He fought valiantly, wondering if this was what Juushiro had once felt.

Then there was nothing more.

* * *

"Mami?" Brown eyes met grey as the little boy hollow, former spiderling, took a few tentative steps towards his elder. Then he blinked. "…Juu?"

"Yes, it's me." The voice wasn't quite right but the young spider hollow didn't mind. Warm arms enfolded him and he snuggled into her comforting arms, bathing in her scent. "Oh Shunsui. I've been waiting for you."

"Shunsui…" He murmured, knowing the name. Visions of the life he'd led before passed through his mind but they were distant, unreal. Yet, that name still meant something. That was him. "Juushiro?" He looked over himself curiously, really seeing and understanding. "…I'm a hollow."

"Yes, you are. We all are. Don't worry Shunsui. Just a few more years for you to mature and we'll be together again, forever." A warm hand ruffled his chestnut brown hair as Shunsui thought about it. He vaguely knew he ought to be upset about this but he couldn't muster up any caring. He was a hollow now and he was going to be with Juushiro again. That seemed more important than anything else.

"Okay." He said as she took his hand and led him out to begin his first lessons in life as a spider hollow. Kiyone and Sentaro were both there to help, enthusiastically guiding their young charge. And the caldera bubbled, casting off its gleaming, dark radiance as the adjuchas drank.

For the hollows of the valley, life was good.


	10. The Games We Play

Kyoraku Shunsui woke up slowly from an absolutely wonderful dream.

Yawning, he blinked at the sun. It was almost noon, if he was any judge. Smiling to himself, he remembered the events of the night before. To celebrate Renji's promotion to taichou, they had staged quite a party. He'd deeply enjoyed the food and drink and brought a lovely woman home to play. He sighed as he thought about that, then blinked as he remembered. Oddly enough, she'd preferred the backdoor. And she'd even come prepared with lubricant. He vaguely remembered chestnut hair and a really wonderful, responsive body beneath him. Glancing over he…

Froze as the face beside him registered.

_That is not a woman._ Absolute shock hit him, followed closely by horror as he looked into the man's face. He recognized it, of course. He could hardly forget Coyote Starrk. Suddenly desperate, he searched over his memories from the previous evening. What had happened to get him in this position? His memories were very hazy but he could mostly recall the absolute conviction that he'd been picking up a woman.

"How drunk was I?" He breathed before forcing himself up. He needed to get out of here before Starrk woke up. He stumbled out, completely missing the rumpled kimono that Starrk was sleeping on.

He would remember it later, of course. But by then it would be too late.

* * *

Starrk wake up in the morning and reached over, trying to find the warmth he expected to be there.

He was vaguely disappointed not to find it. Disappointed, but not surprised. He'd been quite surprised when Kyoraku Shunsui came onto him so strongly the night before. He'd realized, before too long, that the shinigami was actually drunk out of his mind and had somehow mistaken the arrancar for a willing female. Something he was not above taking advantage of. Even now, his vast reiryoku had some terrible disadvantages. Mainly, a certain lack of sexual partners. He required at least a taichou and the two females were not remotely interested. Normally, he would have just moved on to the males but that posed some problems.

Soul Society had some very strange attitudes about things. Grimmjow had been taken in first and had warned him about it. Rather than replicate the Sexta's mistakes, Starrk had learned that shinigami typically took sexual come-ons between the same gender poorly. Apparently, there was some taboo about openly doing such things.

So he wasn't too surprised to find that Shunsui had abandoned him as soon as he'd awoken. Starrk was quite pleased, however, to see the kimono. He rested his face in it, just enjoying the scent. If all the truth were being told, he'd thought Shunsui was attractive the first time they had fought. For a hollow, a hard fight could be a sexual turn on and Kyoraku had certainly given him that.

Sitting up, he picked up the kimono and gazed at it thoughtfully. Did he really care what anyone thought of him? No, not really. And he had Shunsui exactly where he wanted him. A wicked little smile curled his lips and if he'd been in the room Kyoraku would probably have been sweating buckets.

"Do you think so Lilinette?" Starrk asked, not expecting or receiving any kind of answer. His other half was gone, but not entirely. In a bid for survival, her power had completely returned to him. That meant their personalities had partially merged. Starrk didn't sleep as long anymore and he had developed quite a mischievous streak. His current taichou had a few issues with that but Starrk really couldn't care less.

Humming to himself, he hung up the kimono before going to take a shower. He had plans for it.

This was going to be an excellent day.

* * *

"Starrk-fukutaichou. Why are you wearing Kyoraku taichou's kimono?" Starrk looked up from his desk to meet the gaze of his taichou.

Renji's promotion had coincided with his own. Really, it was rather absurd keeping an arrancar of his power as a seated officer. But power was not the only consideration and a fukutaichou's duties were really quite extensive. Starrk had needed the time to experience the joys of paperwork. Since he'd adequately mastered a seated officer's duties, it was time to go up in the world.

"It's a trophy, Kuchiki taichou." He said easily as Byakuya just looked at him. It was hard to tell what he was feeling. Starrk really wished his taichou were a bit easier to read, but life was hard sometimes. Starrk just smiled innocently before dipping his quill in his inkpot again.

"A… trophy." Kuchiki said and Starrk nodded, keeping his attention on the reports. "…Please try not to make a mess of the practice grounds."

"Of course not, taichou." Starrk said respectfully although, truthfully, he thought that was a pretty good concern. How likely was a duel when Shunsui realized what his erstwhile paramour was up to? Pretty good. Starrk smiled again, Lilinette's smile, and heard Byakuya sigh ever so slightly. He glanced up to see his taichou taking a seat and completely ignoring him. Humming to himself, Starrk went back to his work. If he worked very diligently he might have the whole stack completed early and then… then it might be time to go take a very public walk with his new fashion accessory.

Ah, this was so much fun!

* * *

"Kyoraku taichou, where is your kimono?" Nanao sounded concerned and Shunsui sighed, tilting back his hat.

"I'm afraid I lost it. I have another one on order." He admitted, trying not to think of exactly how he'd lost it. Perhaps he should have swallowed his pride and just asked for it back, but he honestly didn't think he could look Coyote Starrk in the face right now.

"Lost it? That's… strange." Nanao sounded confused and Shunsui grimaced. It was very strange. He'd had kimonos ruined before, of course, but that usually involved some kind of hard battle. And often an element of surprise… Starrk had given him plenty of time to take it off. Then someone ran up, breasts bouncing in a way that made him smile appreciatively.

"Nanao! You'll never guess what – oh. Kyoraku taichou! I'm sorry." Matsumoto went pink as she saw him. That was a touch odd but he didn't think much of it. Then she seized Nanao, dragging her away over her protests and began whispering in her ear. Shunsui watched with an indulgent smile that quickly turned into a small frown as the two women looked at him and giggled. Then they went back to whispering, their heads practically together. This was… very odd…

"Ah, Nanao-chan? I'm going back to work." He called, mildly creeped out by the sight of his fukutaichou engaged in such an un-Nanao-like activity.

"Oh no wait!" Matsumoto was suddenly in his personal space. Something he almost appreciated, but that feeling was wiped out by her next words. "Are you and Starrk-fukutaichou an item now?!" She nearly squealed and he stared.

"I… don't… why would you say that?" He asked, stalling for time. Nanao adjusted her glasses before beaming at him. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Well, he IS wearing your kimono this morning." Nanao said and his mouth dropped open.

"He's WHAT?!" That was just… Shunsui did not have words. Didn't the arrancar understand that you didn't FLAUNT this sort of thing? Then Matsumoto nearly squealed.

"You would be so cute together!" She had her hands clasped together and her eyes were full of stars. Shunsui looked at her in complete horror. It was his first encounter with a yaoi fangirl and he was finding it to be a terrifying experience. "He must really like you, wearing it in public like that!"

"Uh, yes." He said weakly while making a mental note to murder Starrk, preferably painfully. "Excuse me, where is he…?" He needed to take care of this NOW. Although it was probably already too late. Nanao was smiling, a very sphinx-like smile.

"He's at the Sixth, in the practice grounds." She said sweetly and he was in shunpo before she even finished. He had to stop this lunatic arrancar from ruining both their reputations!

When he arrived, Starrk was just leaning against the wall. He looked completely innocent and relaxed, as though he didn't have a single care in the world. The pink kimono was flung over his shoulders in precisely the same way Shunsui always wore it. Gritting his teeth, he stalked up to the arrancar, painfully aware of all the glances and whispers they were getting.

"Starrk-fukutaichou. Could I please have my kimono back?" He asked with painful politeness, suppressing the desire to punch his lights out. Maybe the arrancar didn't understand what he was doing… although the wicked little smile on his face said otherwise. So did the twinkle in those calm grey eyes.

"I don't know. What are you offering me for it?" Starrk said calmly and Shunsui's hands tightened into fists. He glared at the man but he seemed entirely unruffled.

"Are you holding my kimono for ransom, Starrk?" He said sternly and that little smile turned into a grin.

"Hmm… yes, I suppose I am. Perhaps you could pay me with a kiss?" The arrancar said lightly and Shunsui felt absolutely appalled. Right in front of everyone?!

"Have you lost your mind?" He dropped his voice, mindful of the watchers. Starrk tilted his head to one side, as if he was thinking about it.

"I don't think so. But then, crazy people usually don't know they're crazy, no?" Starrk said easily, clearly not taking the situation at all seriously. The desire to punch his lights out was growing stronger. "I don't understand why you're so upset. I seem to recall you held Miyaki's scarf hostage for the exact same thing."

"She was a woman, Starrk." He said it slowly, like he was explaining to an idiot. The arrancar flashed him a quick, mischievous grin. For one moment, Shunsui deeply regretted injuring the former Espada so heavily. He'd heard the man's personality had changed since Lilinette had vanished, but this was his first time really seeing it. Or perhaps he hadn't injured the bastard enough. Just a bit more and he wouldn't be having this problem.

"Really? I can't wait to tell Retsu about your double standard." Starrk said and Shunsui choked. That was… creative and very, very nasty. "I'm sure Soi Fon would love to hear about it too, hmm?" Shunsui's lips tightened. Was the arrancar really…?

"Are you threatening me with the Shinigami Women's Association, Starrk?" He asked and the arrancar just shrugged with a small smile. "I'm not kissing you." He said firmly and Starrk just gazed at him for a moment, idly running a hand over a pink kimono sleeve.

"In that case, why not a duel?" He suggested and Shunsui's lips curved into a smile. Right now, he was looking forward to smashing the arrancar. "We're in the practice yard already… but! There would need to be something riding on it." Starrk said and Shunsui felt a stab of uneasiness at the smile on his face. "If you win, you get your kimono back. But if I win… hmm…" Starrk suddenly pushed himself away from the wall, closing the gap between them before speaking softly. "I top you."

"What?!" That was infinitely worse than a kiss. The only positive was that no one else had heard him. Shunsui immediately dropped his voice, mindful of the attention they were getting. "Absolutely not." He'd never, in all his life, submitted to another man that way. Starrk shrugged, stepping back.

"I suppose I'll keep my trophy then." He said with a smile before twirling a little. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment in mental pain. Was this how some of his girlfriends had felt? Maybe he owed them an apology. "I think the question is… how confident are you in your skill, and how much do you want this back?"

"I am completely confident." Shunsui said evenly, reminded. He'd beaten this man once. He could do it again. "Very well! I accept your wager." He said recklessly, suddenly not caring. He would defeat Starrk and make him eat his arrogant attitude. Starrk laughed and pulled off the kimono, glancing around before tossing it to one of the unseated shinigami in the training yard. He caught it, looking taken aback.

"Take care of that for us." Starrk said before drawing his sword. Then the fight began.

At first they were fighting with nothing but speed and swords. Shunsui was quickly reminded of how fast Starrk could be… the indolent arrancar moved like the wind, when he chose to. And right now, he was motivated. They danced back and forth across the training field as the other shinigami took to the sidelines, watching. Shunsui's eyes narrowed before he released his shikai. He knew it wasn't really fair. Without Lilinette, Starrk could no longer use his guns or wolves. His resurrection was crippled, although it did still exist. With a blaze of power, Starrk assumed his second form. It was quite a bit different, now. Instead of white, it was black, but still mostly styled the same. Instead of guns he held his blue swords. The arrancar had nothing else.

That didn't seem to phase Starrk in the slightest. He attacked with wild abandon and Shunsui had one disadvantage… the arrancar knew his tricks. He couldn't catch him with the shadow game, although he definitely could hit him with spinning top. Starrk managed to catch his sword, although just barely. Their weapons clashed wickedly in front of his face and Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he saw the Espada was smiling. Wasn't he taking this seriously?

They clashed again and again and he could hear the murmurs from the watching shinigami, about their skill and speed. Then Starrk made a fatal error. He stood so his shadow fell over a nearby pole. Shunsui drove his weapon into the shadow –

And something beyond unexpected happened. His eyes went wide and shinigami fainted in droves as Starrk's reiatsu abruptly spiralled absolutely out of control. Birds fell out of the sky, instantly dead and Shunsui _felt_ the moment when his zanpakuto could take no more. He felt Katen Kyokotsu's shock as their power was overwhelmed by that wild reiatsu and instead of coming out the shadow, his sword dug into the dirt. Before he could recover from the shock, Starrk was on him. A few deft blows and he was on his back, a blue sword at his throat.

"Oh. Did I win?" Starrk sounded as surprised as he felt. Shunsui grimaced, not daring to move. The blade was rather close. "…Do you yield?" He asked and Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment. He really had no choice.

"Yes, I yield." The words were bitter on his tongue. Starrk nodded before withdrawing his sword. The expression on his face was… strange. Almost apprehensive? Shunsui glared at him and opened his mouth to –

"Starrk-fukutaichou. What did I saw about the practice yard?" They both looked at that cool voice and Starrk glanced around, taking in all the shinigami collapsed in various, rather uncomfortable positions. Cursing mildly, he resealed his power.

"Ah, I'm sorry Kuchiki taichou. Perhaps we should call for help from the Fourth?" He said in a sheepish tone. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"Do that. Immediately." Starrk instantly vanished with the bang of sonido and despite his humiliating, painful defeat, Shunsui smiled. It seemed the arrancar had a healthy dose of dread for his taichou. "Kyoraku taichou, please refrain from this in the future."

"Of course." He said as he stood, wondering how in hell he was going to get out of his wager to Starrk. Maybe he should just get extremely drunk? No. He didn't want to be out of control when the arrancar… Shunsui took a deep breath before turning away.

This wasn't good at all, but he'd made a bet. He would pay the forfeit.

* * *

"Here, have a drink." A cup was placed in front of him and Shunsui just looked at it for a moment before picking it up and taking a sip. It was sake, and particularly fine. Looking up, he met grey eyes that contained a surprising amount of concern. "…I didn't think I would actually win." Starrk said as he sat down across from him, sipping his own cup of sake.

"Mmm. I find that difficult to believe, with that trick of yours." He said evenly. He understood now what Starrk had done. It was the brute force method of escaping his shikai… Starrk had overwhelmed Katen Kyokotsu with his own spiritual pressure. Shunsui had never heard of such a thing being done before and really, Starrk was likely the only person who could carry it off. The arrancar chewed on his lip for a moment before shrugging.

"I'd been practicing it with various kido. That was the first time I'd tried it on a zanpakuto. I had no idea if it would work or not." He admitted and Shunsui sighed to himself, gazing into his sake. "…If you don't want to do this, I'll let it go." Starrk offered and Shunsui blinked at him, surprised.

"I made a bet, Starrk-san. I can pay my debts." As uncomfortable and humiliating as it was, he would own up to his own foolishness. Starrk sipped his sake before giving him a crooked smile.

"What's that expression? It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. I was just playing a game, I didn't think it would come to this." Starrk set his cup down, looking at him seriously. "It's my choice if I want to hold you to that bet or not. I won't insist." He said and Shunsui considered it for a moment. A cowardly part of him was deeply tempted to take the escape he was being offered. He'd never been attracted to men before. But a curious part of him was urging him onward. And a larger part of him was reminding him that he'd never welshed on a bet before. He'd made plenty of stupid dares when he was a boy and he'd never, in all his life, failed to follow through.

"I'll follow through, Starrk." He said firmly before setting his cup aside and standing. "Shall we?" He wanted to get this over with. Starrk regarded him for a moment, frowning, before nodding.

"If that's what you want." The arrancar sounded a bit troubled but Shunsui ignored it as they went to the bedroom. His stomach clenched a bit as he saw the sleeping mat, the plush pillows that Starrk favored. He took a deep breath before working on his clothing, quickly disrobing. Then he glanced up as a bit of light lit the room. Starrk was lighting… candles?

"Trying to create an ambiance?" He asked in mild disbelief. Really, it seemed absurd. "Do you have mood music too?" Starrk looked up from a little orange candle in a matching glass holder, surprised.

"No. I never thought of that. I'll keep that in mind for next time." He said thoughtfully and Shunsui almost choked.

"There isn't going to be a next time, Starrk." He said firmly. The arrancar waved the comment away as he finished with his candles.

"I meant a generic next time…" He said before standing and disrobing, dropping his clothes carelessly on the floor. The candles were set in the walls, completely safe and secure in their holders. Starrk stretched for a moment and Shunsui paused, just looking at him. He'd never been attracted to a man before but a treacherous part of him reminded him of how good that dream had felt. That warm, responsive body clutching him so tightly… he shook his head, pushing away the thought. He would be in that place tonight.

Starrk was in no hurry to get down to it, though. The former Espada took things slowly, seemingly intent on making love, not merely fucking. Shunsui wasn't sure what to make of the kisses. Starrk's lips were warm and he found there didn't seem to be much difference between kissing a man and a woman. It was mildly disturbing but he allowed himself to go with it, reciprocating the attention. And Starrk's hands were on him, exploring… it was becoming quite arousing.

It was even more arousing when Starrk went down, pausing to nuzzle his abdomen before going to something more sensitive. Shunsui gasped, staring up at the ceiling as wet heat enfolded his member. That felt… good. Amazingly, incredibly good. A warm hand encircled his balls as the Coyote sucked him off with practiced skill. Who had he done this to before? Likely the arrancar in Los Noches…

A finger, well coated in lube, teased his opening. Shunsui stiffened a moment before forcing himself to relax. And, truthfully, he'd had a finger up there before. A few of his girlfriends had done that, much the same way Starrk was now. That finger wiggled inside, carefully breaching him as Starrk continued to pleasure him. Shunsui groaned as that finger delicately massaged his prostate, making his breath come shorter. It felt so very good… but then a second finger was added and he winced in discomfort. His body was not accustomed to that. Starrk let him get used to it but just when he was comfortable, the man added a third. Shunsui couldn't help but groan then. That hurt, and not in a good way. Only the sweet suction around his cock was keeping him from pulling away.

It took time, but that pain eventually become bearable. As his body relaxed, though, Starrk released his cock. Shunsui whimpered softly at the loss of that talented mouth, then lifted his head as the other man moved up his body. He swallowed as he felt the brush of Starrk's erection on his stomach and glanced down. He felt a bit faint as he saw the size of it. How was that supposed to fit inside him?

"Shh, relax." Starrk murmured as he moved his legs apart. Shunsui tried to follow the instruction but couldn't help but tense as the Espada began to carefully ease inside. "Ah kami, so tight…" Starrk gasped and Shunsui gritted his teeth as that member pushed past the tight ring of muscle. This didn't feel good at all… "Relax. You need to relax or I'll have to stop… I won't hurt you." Starrk whispered as Shunsui struggled to breathe. The burn of it was painful in a way he'd never felt before. "Shhh. Relax. Let your body get used to it…" Starrk kissed his throat and Shunsui could feel the way the arrancar was trembling. He was sure the man was desperate to take him but restraining himself, trying to give his partner pleasure. Then he slid in a bit further, into his well-lubed insides. Shunsui winced then shuddered as a mouth explored his throat, gently sucking as the arrancar gradually seated himself.

Slowly, the experience got better. Starrk began to move, thrusting shallowly into his loosening body. Shunsui's eyes shot open as his prostate was brushed. He couldn't help the soft moan that escaped as Starrk's hand slowly worked his cock, stroking the flesh in time with every slow, careful thrust into his body.

_This is starting to feel good._ Shunsui thought in a disconnected way as his prostate was brushed again, almost teasingly. Was that deliberate? _Very good… oh kami._ His body was adapting, accepting the intrusion. _Is it supposed to feel this way?_ He didn't know what to think. He'd never let another man into his body before…

"Shunsui." Starrk whispered his name and he looked into those grey eyes, seeing a burning need and a deep, passionate desire. "Oh, I have to…" He didn't have to ask what the arrancar meant. The movements of the body against him, inside him, became faster and more firm. Shunsui gasped as his prostate was hit, more fully this time, and the pleasure became more intense.

…_sweet kami what is this…?_ He wrapped his arms around Starrk's shoulders, almost clinging to the man as that organ inside him continued to pleasure him. The strokes to his prostate were coming faster and faster, matching the hand on his cock. That deliciously slick friction made him shudder, his breath coming faster as he reacted instinctively, shoving back against the arrancar. _…how is he doing this to me…?_ His mind was falling into disarray, taken up with the sensations he was experiencing. He was losing control in a way he hadn't for centuries…

"Kami, Shunsui, you feel so good!" Starrk gasped out and Shunsui could see the sweat on his brow, the tiny droplets beading on that fine face. It reminded him of how he'd looked when they fought, but it was so much better to see those grey eyes narrowed with pleasure than the intent to kill. "Oh kami… I…" Starrk buried his face against his throat and Shunsi could feel his breath, the insane heat of the arrancar's body. "Shunsui!"

"Starrk." He hadn't meant to say the other man's name. It just came out, unbidden and full of longing. "Starrk!" He was begging for more, the pleasure coiling so tight in his body he thought he might explode. He just needed a little more… Starrk seemed to understand. The arrancar gasped out something incoherent before rearing back and taking him with a quick, almost violent series of thrusts. Shunsui arched as a thumb dug into his cock, stimulating him unbearably. He suddenly erupted, coating that hand and splattering himself as the intense pleasure filled him, making him cry out. The arrancar came just a moment after him and Shunsui felt the heat inside him, the pulse of that rock hard member.

For a moment, they just lay tangled together, struggling to pull themselves together in the aftermath of pleasure. Starrk rested his forehead against his shoulder and Shunsui looked down as his breathing gradually calmed, seeing that head of dark chestnut hair. Then Starrk lifted his head and their eyes met as the arrancar eased out of him before taking a spot on the cushions beside him.

"Mmm. Will you stay?" Starrk asked, his voice tired and husky. Those grey eyes suddenly seemed very lonely to him and Shunsui smiled. Oddly enough, he didn't feel any unhappiness or resentment. Just a lazy contentedness and a bit of wonder at what they had done.

"I don't think I can move." His legs felt like jelly and his body was registering a few complaints. Nothing too bad, but it was his first time. Starrk looked concerned but Shunsui reached up to stroke his face. "I'm fine." And he'd done something new. After a thousand years, that was a hard thing to say. Starrk yawned and clearly decided to take that at face value.

"Good… so tired…" Starrk muttered before snuggling up and closing his eyes. Shunsui watched him for a moment before closing his eyes.

He was very tired. He'd think about what to do in the morning.

* * *

"Kyoraku taichou, why are you wearing a fukutaichou badge?" One of his seated officers, a pleasant little girl, asked innocently. Shunsui glanced down at his arm with a smile.

"It's a trophy." He said and heard Nanao's choked off giggle. The girl looked puzzled.

"A trophy, sir?" She said and he just smiled.

"Mhm." And it was a loss that Starrk would notice soon. Kuchiki Byakuya would not take kindly to his fukutaichou not having it, particularly given that he was an arrancar. "Ah." And there was a very familiar reiatsu approaching. Shunsui just waited patiently for the man to arrive, which didn't take long. Grey eyes raked over him and settled on the badge with amusement.

"Kyoraku taichou. What do I have to do to get my badge back?" He asked and Shunsui smiled at him cheerfully before throwing an arm over his shoulders. Starrk looked a bit surprised at the gesture.

"Why don't you come with me to my office so we can discuss it?" He suggested. He had a plan for Starrk and it involved his desk. The arrancar would look wonderful, bent over it. That would make him late for his duties but he didn't care and rather doubted that Starrk would care much, either. He might care later when Kuchiki reamed him out, but later was later. Starrk went with him with a small laugh and they both ignored the stares and whispers.

When had he ever given a damn about his reputation, anyway? And this was a wonderful game.


	11. Dusting - Congratulations

"Be my fraccion."

"No." Violetta immediately returned and Starrk wanted to shake her. How was he supposed to get through to this proud, obstinate woman?

It was particularly hard to reason with her at the moment, due to the fact that she was entirely naked. Her gorgeous body was on display, all pale skin with darker tips. That lovely little pattern of mask fragments on her belly drew his attention, leading him to slowly stroke the pieces of bone. They were warm and alive, very much a part of her. Then a hand snaked out to grip a portion of his anatomy and Starrk groaned, eyes half-closing as his pride and joy began to come back to life. She smiled, a twinkle in those blue violet eyes.

"I think you need another dusting, Wolf." She said teasingly and he wanted nothing more than to agree, particularly with her hand doing such wonderful, teasing things. But…

"I still want you to be my fraccion." He said, just as stubborn as she could be. Her eyes iced over and her hand left him, to his vast disappointment.

"I've told you before. No one takes a completely powerless fraccion. A fraccion always has _something_ to offer and I'm not a whore, Starrk. Until I have something more to give you than my body I cannot accept your protection." She said, which frustrated him beyond measure. He knew what she endured from her fellow Numeros. He'd already seen livid bruises on that beautiful skin.

"What you have to offer me is more precious than anything in the world. I already have all the power I need. All I need now is you." He appealed to her and those eyes softened. Her hand went back to him and he gasped as those talented fingers resumed their intimate massage.

"That's beautiful but I just can't accept it. Please Starrk, make love to me." She said softly and he couldn't resist. He kissed her, deeply, tangling a hand in that blue-black hair. Her moan as he went down and began to explore her breasts with his tongue was music to his ears. But always, in the back of his mind, the question kept nagging him.

How could he get her to accept his protection?

* * *

"Is this the one?"

Violetta paused at the sound of that voice. It wasn't that close to her, not that it mattered. A bit of sonido would have the speaker in her personal space before she could blink and without any sonido of her own, there was nothing she could do. But the voice was female. It was not a sure thing, but females tended to be less dangerous than males.

"Oh, she can't be the one! She's powerless." That voice was younger and more abrasive. Violetta's lips thinned as she continued her work. They had not addressed her directly, yet. "Oi! You! Numero!" Well, there went that plan. Feeling rather annoyed – this old storeroom really needed a cleaning – she straightened and turned towards the owners of the voices.

There were three of them. Female arrancar, they were quite recognizable and Violetta blinked before giving them a deep bow. She'd never really met them before but she knew the Tres Beastias.

"Forgive me, fraccion-sama. How may I serve you?" She asked, glossing over the fact that she didn't know their names. The one with the mismatched eyes glanced her over with a small sneer.

"I'm sure you can't. Seriously, she can't be the one." She said and Violetta wondered what she was talking about. Then the one with the sleeve in front of her mouth spoke.

"She has been going into his wing. Who else can it be?" She asked and Violetta suddenly bit her lip as she understood. They were talking about Starrk. Briefly, she cursed the Primera as she began to get a grip on the situation. It was hardly the first time some female with a straying mate had become jealous of her. He could have at least warned her!

"Forgive me, fraccion-sama. I did not mean to trespass." She said as apologetically as she could. That garnered her a blank look from two of them, but the one with the sleeve just looked amused.

"Trespass?" The buxom one with the dark, wavy hair said, confused. "What are you talking about?" Violetta hesitated, wondering how to explain. Fortunately the other one took it out of her hands.

"She thinks we are jealous of her… relationship… with the Primera." She said smoothly. That made the other two suddenly break into raucous laughter, to her surprise and confusion.

"Oh kami! As if we would touch him." The one with the mismatched eyes said in both amusement and derision. Violetta frowned, feeling vaguely offended. Starrk was a good man and that was rather insulting to them both. Not that she would dare articulate her feelings to a fraccion. The dark skinned one snorted at the thought, waving it away.

"Yeah, as if we'd let his prick anywhere near us. Come on girl. The Tercero wants to speak to you." She said, grabbing Violetta by the arm and trying to sonido away. She ended up dragging the Numero before stopping. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I have no sonido." Violetta said through gritted teeth, trying to hide her pain. Being forced along at high speeds when she simply could not keep up was painful, to say the least. It would have been different if the fraccion had picked her up and carried her, but she'd simply dragged. If it weren't for her 'durability' her arm would likely be dislocated. The woman's grip on her slackened as she looked at her in disbelief.

"How in hell can you possibly be Starrk's squeeze?" She asked and Violetta almost wished she had no pride left to bruise. That hurt, it really did.

"I am extremely durable, fraccion-sama." She said as respectfully as she could, hoping that wouldn't give the other woman ideas. The woman scowled at her.

"I'm Mila Rose." She snapped and Violetta nodded, keeping her gaze down as she hid her hands in her skirts, fisting the fabric. "Oh… for god's sake, do you expect me to carry you?"

"I can walk Mila-sama. It will just take longer." Possibly quite a while. Violetta got up early to make her trip to Starrk's wing. The fraccion snorted before abruptly grabbing her. Violetta gasped as she was slung over one shoulder and carried like she weighed nothing.

The rest of the trip was fast, if humiliating. Violetta barely caught herself as she was dumped on the ground by her unwilling transport. Regaining her footing, she swallowed as she saw a dark back and blonde hair. This could only be the Tercero.

"We got her for you, Halibel-sama!" The girl with the different colored eyes announced. Despite what they had said earlier, Violetta most sincerely hoped the Tercero was not jealous of her relationship with Starrk. She could crush any Numero like a bug. Halibel turned to look at her and she fisted her hands in her skirts as she met those cold green eyes.

"This?" She sounded disbelieving as she raked her gaze over the Numero in front of her. Violetta winced to herself before standing straight and tall. Nothing could protect her but even now, she would maintain her pride. "…Are you certain? I thought it would be someone of Privaron strength." Violetta understood what she meant. The Privaron Espada had a unique rank because they had once been numbered among the Espada, then removed. But there were Numeros who had similar power who had never been inducted into the Espada at all. They were simply Numeros, although often fraccion. Most of Barragan's fraccion fell into that category.

"She confirmed it. She thought we were jealous of her and Starrk." The one with the sleeve said and the others laughed again. Even Halibel laughed, a soft chuckle. Violetta honestly found it slightly confusing. If you could withstand his spiritual pressure, Starrk was an excellent man. He was thoughtful, caring, gentle and kind… really, a treasure among the arrancar. Certainly, he could be lazy and occasionally crude but that seemed like minor flaws to Violetta. She would take lazy over cruel any day.

"Kami! No. Surely you know that I prefer the attentions of my fraccion?" She said and Violetta looked at the ground before answering.

"Of course Halibel-sama. However, all of us might someday seek to breed." She said carefully and almost wished she hadn't as the Tercero stiffened. "In terms of power levels, Starrk would be ideal…" He was the strongest. A child created between him and the Tercero would be magnificent. "I am sorry. I do not mean to offend. It was simply my first thought as to why you would concern yourself." She offered. Really, she should be beneath the Tercero's notice.

"Hm." Halibel's eyes raked over her again and Violetta couldn't help but feel self-conscious. "I assure you, I have no interest in… breeding." She made it sound like a dirty word and Violetta blinked. She was honestly rather in favor of a child, if she could be certain it was Starrk's. Unfortunately, given her circumstances there was no way to be sure of that. "I can sense very little power in you. How can you possibly survive his reiatsu?"

"I am extremely durable." She repeated, feeling sick of it. Then she smiled, although it was not a happy smile. "You can raise your reiatsu to whatever level your fraccion are comfortable with, Halibel-sama." Whatever level that was would be far beyond what most Numeros could tolerate. Halibel just looked at her and Violetta met her eyes as the power in the room increased. She felt it, of course, but it simply felt like a current eddying around her. There was a sound of surprise from one of the fraccion, quickly hushed.

"…I see. Intriguing. Yet you cannot use sonido." Halibel said. She'd noticed Mila carrying her, then. Violetta dropped her gaze, feeling her posture slump a bit. Having no speed was utterly crippling to her. "Can you form a cero?"

"No." That was almost as bad. If she'd had no sonido but still been capable of cero, she could have defended herself that way. "I cannot seem to use any power that is not passive in nature." Violetta had noticed that a very long time ago. "Unfortunately, I do not know why this is so." She knew that Starrk had approached both Szayel and Aizen about it. The thought of the second made her shudder a bit – Aizen himself? – but Starrk didn't seem to care. Of course, he was the Primera. Unfortunately, Aizen was regarding Starrk as a lovesick nuisance while Szayel was interested but far too busy with an important project. He'd promised to eventually see her, but not for some time.

"Hm. And why has Starrk not given you his protection?" She asked and Violetta could hear her disdain for the Primera in her voice. Vaguely, she wondered why Halibel seemed to think so ill of him. It seemed so very strange to her… but perhaps they had a history she knew nothing about.

"He has offered. I declined." She said and the fraccion couldn't resist getting in.

"Declined?! Are you crazy?" The one with the mismatched eyes exclaimed. Violetta looked down, feeling a touch weary. It did seem insane but she couldn't help but how she felt about it.

"Why would you do that?" Mila Rose said close on her heels and Violetta bit her lip. She didn't really want to… but then Halibel spoke.

"Please explain." She said and Violetta could do little else. Sighing to herself, she did her best.

"I am not a whore, Halibel-sama. Until I have something to offer Starrk besides my body, I will not accept his protection." She said firmly as she heard some whispers behind her. "We are hopeful that Szayel may be able to unlock my power. But right now, he is busy with a project for Aizen-sama." And Aizen had made it clear that Szayel was not to be distracted from it. "Forgive me, but if you are not interested in the Primera I am not certain why you are taking an interest." She said, deciding to be blunt. Perhaps it was dangerous, but she thought Halibel might appreciate some plain speaking. The Tercero's eyes narrowed a bit but she didn't seem to take offense.

"It interests me whenever a female may be being victimized." She said and Violetta couldn't help it. She laughed. It was a bitter, pain filled sound and she cut it off as quickly as she could. But she could still sense the surprise of the fraccion.

"Forgive me, Halibel-sama. I do not mean to mock. But does it matter to a bug if it is crushed by a boulder or a mountain?" She asked, which was simply true. Aizen could kill her no deader than any of the Numeros. He probably couldn't even torture her more. They could be quite inventive, sometimes. "Even if Starrk was abusing me, which he is not, it would be no different than what the others do." Yet Halibel wasn't offering to protect her from them. But then, how could she? She would have to take her as a fraccion and the Tercero wasn't about to take on dead weight, even if Violetta would have accepted.

"…I see." Halibel was wise enough to see the painful realities of her situation. Understanding flashed through those green eyes, followed by some compassion. "You should take Starrk's offer. Pride is well and good, but not when it threatens your life." She said and Violetta managed a brittle smile.

"I am very durable, Halibel-sama. May I return to my duties?" She was really getting very behind and didn't want to give Miramira a reason to beat her. Halibel nodded after a moment.

"Mila, carry you back to where you found her." She instructed and the fraccion groaned. Violetta found herself being slung over a shoulder again and hated every moment of it. But what could she do?

She had no power.

* * *

Lilinette frowned as she heard a soft sniffling.

She wasn't sure she liked this whole Starrk with Violetta thing. Why did he need to have a squeeze, anyway? He had her, didn't he? Sure, she couldn't do THAT, but did he need to do THAT? He'd gotten by with his hand forever! Well, maybe that was why he needed THAT, she supposed. Hands could get boring, maybe.

Violetta was still nice and she'd survived doing THAT, so maybe she was alright. But she wouldn't be Starrk's fraccion and it was making him sad. He wasn't sleeping as much and Lilinette thought that was just wrong. He kept trying to come up with ideas for how to make her his fraccion. He'd forbidden Lilinette to badger her but she was close to forgetting. If they were going to be doing THAT, Violetta should be his fraccion!

So when she heard the sniffling in the out of the way storeroom, she poked her nose in. Not to her surprise, Violetta was there. But she was crying. Lilinette had never seen her cry before and it was… weird. Like seeing Starrk all awake and worried. Weird.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked and Violetta turned, wiping her eyes for a moment before forcing on a smile. It didn't look right at all to Lilinette's eyes.

"I'm fine, Lilinette-sama." That was something she liked, how Violetta was still respectful but… yeah, something wasn't right.

"No you're not. What's wrong?" She demanded and Violetta dabbed her eyes again before sniffing.

"I just… I think I might be pregnant." She said softly and Lilinette blinked at her.

"Huh?" It took her a moment to get it. She'd never thought of THAT happening! But then, the stuff they were doing was to make babies. She'd just never thought Starrk could have any. Although… "Hey, you don't want it?" Why else was she so sad? Violetta smiled then, but it seemed really sad.

"I don't… know." She rested a hand over her belly, looking down. "I want it if it belongs to Starrk but…" She stopped and Lilinette wrinkled her nose. What did she mean?

"Wait, you've been doing THAT with someone else?" Lilinette said, appalled. "But Starrk really likes you!" She knew that wasn't right. And why would Violetta want someone else? The Numero laughed for a moment before speaking seriously.

"Oh, Lilinette-sama, I don't WANT to do that with anyone else. But as a Numero with no power, they can force me." She said and Lilinette winced as she got it. It was true, the strong could do whatever they liked to the weak. She didn't have to worry about it because she was Starrk's fraccion and only an idiot would tick him off but she still understood that. She just hadn't thought about forcing someone to do THAT before.

"Well, you shouldn't worry. It's Starrk's." She said firmly as Violetta just smiled sadly. "Oi! Don't look at me like that! I know what I'm talking about. Weak can't breed with strong, right?" She said. She remembered hearing that somewhere. Violetta blinked and nodded. "You've got to be a lot stronger than you look. I bet those stupid Numeros couldn't do the job. It has to be Starrk!" Violetta had survived having sex with him and she could stand to be around him even when he was pumping his power into the air. Lilinette had SEEN that. She had to be strong!

"You… you might be right. I've been a Numero for some time and… active… most of it. This is the first time…" Violetta bit her lip for a moment, thinking about it. But Lilinette knew one thing for sure.

"You have to tell Starrk. Right now!" She said firmly and grabbed her arm, tugging her. Violetta winced but went with her. "Now where is he? Probably sleeping…" Although maybe not. You never knew these days.

He was actually sleeping this time. Spread out on his favorite cushion, he was snoring softly with his head tilted back. Lilinette grinned before she leapt right onto his belly.

"ARGH!" Starrk was dragged back to consciousness quite rudely. "Lilinette? Oh, Violetta?" He yawned, trying to shake away the cobwebs as Lilinette straddled his chest, ready to punch him if he didn't wake up fast enough. But he was getting there pretty good. She could be nice to him, sort of.

"Yeah, she's knocked up! Pup in the belly!" Lilinette said sharply and heard Violette choke behind her. Starrk just looked at her funny before his eyes shot wide open and he sat up so fast, she almost rolled off. "Hey!"

"Wait, WHAT?" He said and Lilinette grinned. That was a good look on his face! Kind of reminded her of that one time she'd kicked him in the no no place. Although she hadn't meant to do that. It had been an accident. "Violetta?"

"I… I think I am. I'm late." That confused Lilinette. If she was late shouldn't she be going somewhere? She opened her mouth to say so but then Starrk interrupted.

"Oh kami I… Violetta, you think it's mine?" He was ignoring her then, sweeping Violetta into his arms. That was kind of like those romantic picture books she'd seen once. Lilinette wasn't sure about it but if they were together that was the sort of thing people did, right?

"I – I think so. But I can't be sure." She admitted, pressing her face against his chest. Lilinette watched as Starrk's face tightened for a moment before going all compassionate. He gently stroked her hair, still holding her.

"We'll go to Szayel and he'll make time to see you. He can check, it won't take him long." Starrk said firmly and Lilinette approved. Aizen was a dick, not letting Szayel run some tests on Violetta. What was he doing that was so important anyway? Not that she'd understand it if they tried to explain. It was boring anyway.

Starrk carried her out of his wing and Lilinette grabbed his shoulder, hitching a ride. Starrk could move like the wind when he really wanted to and right now, he wanted to. She wasn't going to be left behind, no way.

"Starrk? To what do I owe the visit?" Szayel was busy with something, not looking up from his computer. Starrk gently set Violetta down but kept an arm around as Lilinette hopped off his shoulders.

"I need you to test something for me. Violetta thinks she's pregnant." That made Szayel look up. Lilinette wasn't too surprised. Kids weren't that common to start with and Starrk was vasto lorde so, well, yeah. "Can you see if it's mine?"

"Hmm? Well… I really shouldn't but it will hardly take a moment." Szayel quickly saved whatever he was working on before rummaging around. "Just a simple reiatsu comparison…" The rest totally went over Lilinette's head. She watched as Szayel came out with his verdict. "The child belongs to you, Primera. Are congratulations in order?" He asked with a smile and Lilinette cheered as Starrk pulled Violetta into a deep, passionate kiss. "I see they are. Congratulations!"

"You must be my fraccion now." Starrk said firmly as they parted. Violetta was looking at him all flushed and adorable. Lilinette nodded firmly.

"Yeah! You're giving Starrk a pup! That's huge!" From what Starrk had been mumbling, Violetta hadn't wanted to be his fraccion until she could give him something. Well, this was it. Violetta took a deep breath before nodding.

"Yes Starrk. I'll be your fraccion." They were all over each other then and Szayel was already going back to his computer. Lilinette had to herd them out, which she did with a few well-placed kicks. Starrk's yelp was pretty funny.

But if they were going to do THAT, Szayel's lab REALLY wasn't the place.


	12. Puppies!

"No."

"Come on Starrk-chan, it would be so cute!" The bunny girl gushed at him. Starrk eyed the garment in her hands with disfavor.

"Don't like clothes." He growled through his microphone. Why were they trying to do this to him?

"You wear clothing all the time." The peony-girl pointed out to him, adjusting her glasses. Starrk glanced down his body, confirming the truth of that. He did wear a black cloak, a ragged garment with holes to stick his arms through. It had taken Shunsui a while to teach him not to pull it off, when he was still not thinking right. Now he wore it and changed it every day. Beneath it, he wore black boxers. That was a new addition, since he'd begun talking.

Starrk laid his ears back a little at the thought. Being able to talk was a mixed blessing. It meant that people weren't just treating him like a dumb animal anymore but it also meant they were trying to talk him into things. Before, he'd often just ignored people who were trying to get him to do things he didn't like. It was harder now that they knew he understood.

"Not like that." Starrk eyed the kimono the bunny girl was holding with disfavor. He didn't like dresses. He wasn't a girl! And it was white with bright purple flowers. Why did they think that would look good on him?

"But you'll be adorable! We have flowers for your hair." The bunny girl said and Starrk froze in horror at the thought. Flowers? He'd have to roll in something to get the smell off! "Shunsui will love it!"

"…?" Starrk suddenly hesitated as his stomach did an odd little flip-flop. He'd been feeling a bit strange lately and he felt stranger whenever he thought about Shunsui or the one with the long, golden hair. He knew it had to do with mating but he wasn't sure why the feeling was stronger lately. "He would?" That did catch his attention although he strongly suspected they were trying to trick him. He understood about lies and liars.

"Yes! Please let us put it on you Starrk-chan. Please? We'll give you a treat." Bunny girl said and peony-girl opened a bag. Starrk's nostrils flared as he registered the tantalizing scent. He'd scented it before, of course, but assumed it was someone's lunch. Nothing for him. He could have it?

"…Alright." He still wasn't eager but he did want that treat. And if Shunsui would like this… He began pulling off his clothing, unconcerned about his nakedness. The girls both looked him over, also not at all ashamed.

"You have six nipples!" One of them said and Starrk glanced down. He did have many nipples, to accommodate a large litter. Vague memories said he hadn't been like that when he'd stood on two legs, but back when he'd had four it had been normal.

"He looks very human under there, aside from that." The peony-girl said, looking him over thoughtfully. Starrk tilted his head to one side, looking at her curiously. "And his hair is perfect. Let's get started!" They descended on him and Starrk had a moment of fright. What had he gotten himself into?

He didn't know but there was no way out of it. A brush went through his fur, working out the tangles. Not that there were many. He had trouble brushing himself – his hands didn't hold the brush well – but Shunsui brushed him out every morning.

"Here we go~" Starrk obediently let them put on the kimono. It was a very nice fabric and he sniffed it thoughtfully, catching the flower scent of whoever had worn it last. It was faint, though, almost overwhelmed by the scent of detergent. Someone had laundered it recently. "Now the flowers!" Starrk recoiled, reminded. But the 'flowers' turned out to be not real. He was vastly relieved to see they were wire and enamel, smelling like nothing but a bit of metal. They were secured in his hair with ribbons and Starrk turned his head experimentally, feeling the heaviness against his scalp. "Look Starrk! Aren't you pretty?"

"…" Starrk looked at his reflection in the mirror she was holding. His face was as it had always been. The only odd note in it was the thick streak of green hair he had over one temple. The females had worked that into a braid, tangling it with the flowers. Starrk thought that looked good and tilted his head thoughtfully. The kimono, with its heavy, pretty belt made him look very normal. Suddenly wanting to try, he attempted to push himself up onto two legs. But his legs just didn't work that way anymore and he whined softly as he had to fall back.

"Treat?" He asked, eyeing the bag with longing. The peony-girl smiled before opening it and pulling out a fish looking cake thing. He bit in with relish although… "Why do they look like fish if they don't taste like fish?" He asked. It was something he'd wondered about for a long time.

"Because fish are cute." The peony-girl answered and Starrk eyed her dubiously. He'd thought of fish as delicious but never cute. Discarding that as something incomprehensible, he devoured the fish cake before stretching and kinking his back. Then he looked behind him with a frown. There was no hole for his tail in the kimono, it was trapped by the heavy fabric. "Oh, we should make a hole for that. Rukia, where's the sewing kit?"

"Right here!" Starrk held still as the females corrected the problem and swished his tail as it was freed from the confining garment. "Oh he's so lovely. Let's show Shunsui!" Starrk barked excitedly, too excited to use the microphone. He wanted to see if Shunsui liked this!

He bounded behind the two girls as they took him to the roof. That was where Shunsui was, sleeping in the sun and just enjoying his day. Peony-girl and rabbit girl both stopped before peony-girl knelt beside him and pointed towards his sleeping 'master'.

"Go get him!" She encouraged and Starrk licked her hand before running towards Shunsui. He leapt with a grin and landed on him, hearing his 'master' yelp before he began enthusiastically licking his face. Shunsui struggled weakly, trying to fend him off while he laughed.

"Starrk – ack! – Stop – pth! Nanao! I hear you laughing… gah! Starrk!" Starrk finally wore out his enthusiasm and panted, his tail wagging as he let Shunsui sit up. His 'master' wiped off his face with one sleeve before blinking at his pet. "…What are you wearing?" He said in disbelief, looking him over.

"Kimono! Pretty?" Starrk asked, his tongue lolling in a canine grin. Shunsui smiled and gently patted his head before looking at the two females.

"Did you do this?" He tried to sound severe but couldn't hide his smile. They both laughed and nodded. "Well, I admit it, he's adorable. But why?" He asked before tilting Starrk's head up so their eyes met. "Why are you so pretty, Starrk-chan?"

"We think you should take him out." The bunny girl said and Starrk looked at her curiously. "It might help him remember if he sees new things."

"And it might help him if you manage to restore him. Your Division knows him and knows he's sweet, but everyone else still thinks of him as a dangerous arrancar and the Primera, to boot." The peony-girl said and Starrk whined softly at the mention of that one word, Primera. It made him feel… not good. He didn't like it. "You should let people see him."

"Date!" Starrk suddenly said as something clicked. He was dressed up! People dressed up for dates! He wanted to go on a date with Shunsui! Dates meant rutting, didn't they? The thought gave him a warm feeling in his stomach. He wanted to mate with Shunsui. "Date! Take me! Date!" He tried to snuggle up, remembering how those females would do it.

"Ah, Starrk, we don't take pets on dates." Shunsui said gently and Starrk pouted. Then his eyes narrowed. Why was he the pet around here anyway?

"Why am I your pet? You do things for me. You bring food and toys and play with me. YOU are MY pet!" He said firmly and there was a dead silence before the girls started to laugh. Shunsui just looked at him wide-eyed before slowly smiling, then beginning to chuckle.

"Oh my kami!" The bunny-girl wheezed, pressing a hand to her stomach. "I… I think we just heard what all our pets really think of us…!"

"Y-Yes. Rukia? Oh, that Rukia exists to bring me carrots. What, she does other things? Clearly not important. More carrots!" The peony-girl snapped her fingers and they all laughed. Starrk pouted a little before snuggling up again. He hadn't been joking but if they were happy, that was alright. He didn't mind.

"Ah, that's so cute… alright Starrk-chan, I'll take you on a date." Shunsui said with a chuckle and Starrk beamed, his tail beating against the ground.

He couldn't wait!

* * *

Starrk yelped in pure pleasure as he managed to hit the target dead on. For his effort, he 'won' a fried sardine. Although it wasn't really winning because Starrk had observed the children ahead of him and you got the sardine whether you won or lost. He didn't mind though. It was a sardine!

"Well done! You have very good aim." Shunsui said as Starrk ate the fish. He nodded happily.

"Yes! Click click boom!" He said, remembering a time when he'd had hands that worked and something that went 'click'. Then his ears suddenly lowered as a vague image come to his mind… aiming at Shunsui? He whined and hid his face against the other's robe for a moment. He would never hurt Shunsui!

"Is something wrong?" A hand went through his fur and Starrk shook his head, avoiding meeting Shunsui's gaze. He didn't want to remember fighting and doing bad things to his 'master'. "Do you remember something? You can tell me, Starrk."

"Nuh-uh." He said, before looking up with big, pleading eyes. "Love you Shunsui." He said soulfully and received a warm smile in return.

"I love you too, Starrk." That made his stomach do that funny flip-flop again and Starrk couldn't help but bark in delight. "Would you like a funnel cake?" Shunsui asked and Starrk's eyes went wide.

"Yes!" He loved funnel cakes. In fact, he loved practically everything sweet. Some sweet things didn't love him, though. For some reason ice cream made him very sick. He'd been completely forbidden to have it. They got in line for a funnel cake and Starrk could see and hear several of the children in line looking at him.

_Mommy, what is it?_

_What is he daddy? He has dog ears!_

_Can I pet him?_

That last was an adventurous little boy who dared to ask them directly. Starrk looked at him, vaguely alarmed, then looked at Shunsui for reassurance. He smiled down at his 'pet' and Starrk relaxed a bit.

"You can. The best way is like this…" Shunsui stroked his fur then, rubbing his ears and Starrk relaxed even more. Then a small hand was going through his fur, much lighter than he preferred but still pleasant. He leaned into it, half-closing his eyes as the boy giggled. "He's a kind of hollow, but he's very friendly." Starrk could scent the sudden fear in the air and whined a little as parents were suddenly holding their children back. "Don't worry, he's completely under control." Shunsui assured them. Then it was their turn for a funnel cake and Starrk yipped in excitement as Shunsui held it over his head. "What do you say?" He said teasingly and Starrk laid back his ears before sighing.

"Please?" He managed to make it so mournful that Shunsui laughed before giving him the funnel cake. Then he bit into it, deeply enjoying his treat.

After that came the rides. Starrk discovered something new… he loved to go fast! His tongue lolled out, his eyes wide in delight as they went around faster and faster! Then the ride began to slow down and he whined. He wanted it to keep going!

"Ah, Starrk, other people need their turn. We have to share." Shunsui laughed as the ride came to a halt. Starrk glanced to the gate and saw there was a lineup. Sighing, he abandoned his perch on the ride. He did understand sharing. Shunsui shared little treats with him all the time.

Eventually, though, Starrk was feeling tired and they went back home. Or rather, to Shunsui's office. That saddened Starrk though and he balked as they were going to go inside.

"Take me with you?" He said before pressing himself against Shunsui's legs. "Want to mate." He said and looked up as he heard a choking sound from his 'master'. He was looking shocked although Starrk didn't know why. Dates always seemed to end in rutting, from what he could smell.

"Um… Starrk… no. You should stay here." Shunsui said after a moment and Starrk considered that for a moment before flicking his ears hopefully.

"Mate here? On your desk?" He suggested brightly and noticed that Shunsui's face was turning very pink. "Fun!" He thought that would be great. Starrk nuzzled his 'master' and deliberately sniffed his crotch. No arousal yet, but he could fix that.

"Starrk, no." Shunsui pushed him away and Starrk frowned, feeling a little hurt. "That's not right."

"…Why?" He asked, not understanding. "My brain works good!" He protested. He was sure that was it. He could talk now but a lot of people still seemed to think he was stupid. Shunsui didn't think he was dumb, exactly, but he didn't seem to understand that Starrk knew exactly what he was doing. "I want you."

"Oh kami… I know you think you do but it wouldn't be right. I would be taking advantage of you." Shunsui said and Starrk growled before gripping his hakama. He could – "Starrk! No." He was shoved back and Starrk whined, laying his ears back. He knew that tone… his 'master' really meant it. He tried puppy dog eyes but that had no real effect. Why did Shunsui look so pink though? That was strange. "Just go to sleep. I'll bring you a treat, how about that?"

"Treat?" Starrk said, momentarily distracted from mating. "What treat?" Was it something good? Shunsui went to his desk and pulled out a bag. Starrk's ears went forward as it was opened and he scented the contents. "Yum!" He panted happily at the thought of some really good jerky. Shunsui smiled before giving him a piece and ruffling his fur. Starrk settled onto his blankets, content to chew.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Shunsui promised and Starrk whined softly, sad to see him go. But the food was a good distraction and he concentrated on it.

They could mate some other time.

* * *

Starrk was beginning to get desperate for that mating.

His whole body felt tingly and odd. Starrk knew why… this was his mating time, the time he was fertile. It had never happened before but that didn't mean it couldn't. Starrk thought it was because his mind was getting better. He remembered things better now although often, he didn't really want to. That little female with the green hair… who was she? Why did it hurt so bad to remember her? Did it have something to do with the green in his hair?

Those questions were hard for the hybrid to answer, so he set them aside. Mating. Yes, mating was the problem. Who could he mate with? The one with the golden hair… Starrk had already tried to sneak out of the office and find him, several times. But the Seireitei was a big place. One time he'd caught the scent but just when he'd thought he was nearly there, one of the others with the dust and bone smell had caught him and brought him home. Starrk thought they knew what he was up to and didn't want him to have the one with the golden hair although he wasn't sure why. Not ready for pups?

If he couldn't put a litter in that one, though, he'd carry the litter himself. Starrk was fine with that. The thought of offspring made him warm and fuzzy. Little pups curling around him, sucking on his teats… yes, that would be heaven. And feeling Shunsui in his body, mating him with power and grace… that would be heaven too. Everything about this idea was good so Starrk decided that it was going to happen.

Of course, for that he needed to get around Shunsui's resistance. Starrk panted happily at the thought. He knew exactly how to do that!

It worked perfectly. Shunsui probably didn't know that Starrk knew exactly why he acted so funny sometimes. He certainly didn't know that Starrk had recently sampled the sake hidden in his desk when he was away and decided it was foul. Of course, Shunsui didn't know that Starrk had also figured out how to get into the jerky bag. His tongue lolled out in pleasure at the thought. He was getting so clever lately!

But it did work perfectly. Starrk waited until Shunsui was deep into the foul tasting liquid, clearly having a very good time. Then he carefully inched out of his den of blankets. As Shunsui paused to take a nap on his desk, Starrk slipped beneath it. That put him in a perfect position. Opening Shunsui's clothing with his paw-hands was hard, but he managed it and settled it for a good nuzzling, followed by some gentle sucking. The scent of arousal quickly filled the air and Starrk felt Shunsui stir, a hand going under the table to grip his fur.

"Oh Nanao-chan…" The peony-girl. Starrk didn't really mind. He knew his 'master's' thoughts about her were a fantasy. She sometimes smelled like someone else, someone the wolf-boy didn't know. She didn't want Kyoraku. "Uh… wait, what…" Shunsui suddenly sat back and looked down. "Starrk!" He wasn't stopping though. Starrk kept up his attentions, intent on showing his 'master' what he could do. "Oh kami…" Hands tangled in his fur again, more to spur him on than pull him away.

Starrk was the one who pulled away, though, when Shunsui was panting and trembling with need. Then he mounted the flushed man, who was staring at him with wide eyes and a struggling look on his face. He was just about to say something when Starrk gripped his member, positioning it before sliding down.

_Ow!_ Starrk whined in pained surprised and just tried to sit still for a moment. He hadn't been expecting it to sting! But Shunsui was moving and Starrk gasped as he forced to ride the other man. The pain dulled very quickly, though, as his insides became damp and fluid. That was the work of the heat and it was _wonderful._ From the look on Shunsui's face, he thought so too. Starrk panted and made soft, incoherent whines as he moved his hips, meeting every one of his 'master's' thrusts. The feel of that hard length inside him was satisfying every instinct he had, hitting every pleasure point inside his body. Starrk gripped the front of Shunsui's black robes, staring into lust filled grey eyes. The chair rocked as they moved, threatening to break or tip over, but neither of them paid the least attention. All they cared about was each other.

It was quick, which suited Starrk just fine. Before too long Shunsui was shoving into him urgently, his breathing quick and unsteady as he came close to his peak. Starrk was following close behind, his body responding to that of his mate and the primal urge to breed. Shunsui came just a moment before he did and the sensation of that powerful reiatsu inside, the churning power that would be his offspring, brought Starrk over the edge. He howled, a sharp, powerful sound as he arched in pleasure, spilling his release over his belly. They were both left panting and dazed. As soon as Starrk was back in control of himself, though, he licked Shunsui affectionately.

That proved to be a mistake because the half-asleep, extremely drunk man recoiled in surprise. The chair had taken all it could take and one leg abruptly snapped, making the whole thing fall over. Starrk and Shunsui both made surprised sounds, one more human and the other an animal yelp. They ended up on the floor in a pile of kindling.

"I am… very… very drunk…" Shunsui muttered as Starrk looked at the chair worriedly. He hadn't meant to break it. Was he going to get in trouble for that? "I think I'll just… sleep… here…" Starrk blinked as Shunsui dropped his head to the ground before starting to snore. Should he be doing that? If the peony-girl caught him at it she'd be mad. But then, she was mad at him all the time… Starrk carefully extracted himself from the unconscious man, finding his boxers and pulling them back on before settling into his blankets to sleep.

He was tired and his internal organs were churning as they rendered out the reiatsu infusion. He needed to rest.

* * *

The next day was awkward for Shunsui. For Starrk, not so much.

"Starrk? We need to talk." Shunsui was kneeling beside his pile of blankets, a serious look on his face. Starrk just stretched, looking at him curiously. "I know you don't understand, but what happened last night can't happen again. You're not in your right mind, Starrk. If you ever remember you'll understand why."

"Okay." Starrk agreed easily, to Shunsui's surprise. That amused the hybrid. Didn't the shinigami understand that he'd gotten exactly what he needed? Although… "What if I never do?" Starrk asked bluntly and saw Shunsui wince. "What does it matter? I love you." He meant that with all his heart and soul. Shunsui's eyes softened at that declaration and he ran a hand through his pet's fur.

"I know you think you do, but you don't understand." He said softly and Starrk flicked his ears, mildly annoyed. He always said that. "I'm sorry Starrk. But please, don't do that again."

"Okay." He agreed again. Shunsui smiled, a touch relieved, and let it go as Starrk drifted back off to sleep. Then food arrived, a big plate of meat and Starrk woke up to eat every last bit. Then he settled back in to sleep.

His body was busy making pups. He didn't want to do much else.

* * *

Almost three months later.

"Starrk, would you like some candy?" Shunsui tried to cajole him but Starrk was having none of it.

"Nuh-uh!" He huddled in his burrow of warm blankets, looking at the candy in his 'master's' hand in deep suspicion. He knew it was one of the sleepy candies. Normally that wouldn't have bothered him but he and his pups were staying right here where they were safe and warm. He was denning and that was that.

"Damn it…" Starrk heard Shunsui leave the room and yawned before he began to doze off. He was sleeping a lot lately. His sleepy mind tangled with the sparks growing inside himself, cuddling the fuzzy little awarenesses with joy and love. He loved them so much, how he loved them… The door opened but he didn't care. He was happy and safe and warm. "Can you take a look at him Komamura?"

"What seems to be the problem?" That was one of his favorite people and Starrk hardly woke at all, just remaining in his comfortable doze.

"He's sleeping constantly, even more than usual. He's eating absolutely everything and begging for more, and he's put on weight. He's also refusing to leave the room, even to play." Shunsui sounded vexed but Starrk ignored it. He was just being silly. "All he'll tell me is that he's fine. I want to take him to the Fourth but he won't eat any of the candies."

"Hmm. Well, it's no surprise that he understands what they're for." The wolf-headed man knelt beside him and Starrk thumped his tail agreeably as he opened his eyes and gazed up sleepily at his second favorite person. "He's very intelligent. Come, pup. What's bothering you?" He asked and Starrk yawned before replying.

"Nothing. Happy." He said sleepily before curling up a bit in his blankets. "I want more food." He added as an afterthought. He wasn't super hungry at the moment but he would be soon. It was good to stock up.

"Hmm…" A hand went through his fur and Starrk snuggled into the feeling. Then he felt the wolf man touching his mind, the way he always did. But he didn't mind. He liked that touch, it always made him feel warm and fuzzy and secure. _Why are you so happy, pup?_ Starrk couldn't help the picture that rose in his mind. Himself, curled around a wiggling pile of young… what would they look like? Would they look more like him, or more like Shunsui? His imagination just pictured them as fuzzy little squirmers, climbing over each other to find his teats before settling down to their meal. And himself, curled around them in perfect maternal bliss. The hand left his hair and Starrk opened his eyes to see the wolf-headed man staring at him in shock. "…Shunsui… you said he's putting on weight?"

"Yes. Do you think it's anything serious?" Shunsui was beginning to sound very concerned but Starrk just yawned. He was fat and happy and pleased with himself.

"Has he been sexually active recently?" Starrk grinned at that, his tongue lolling out. The wolf-headed man gave him a severe look as he spotted that. "Nevermind. I know he has… do you know who he was with?"

"Erm… no. I have no idea." Shunsui sounded guilty even to Starrk. The other man certainly spotted it.

"Shunsui. Have you had sex with him?" He demanded and Starrk lifted his head curiously, watching as his 'owner' ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe? I was very drunk and he came onto me. What could that have to do with this?" He asked and Starrk closed his eyes, intent on dozing off again. Shunsui was being very silly. Couldn't he smell the pregnancy aroma? Feel the flickers of the growing pups? They were so bright!

"He seems to believe he's pregnant." There was complete silence for a moment.

"WHAT?!" That made Starrk open his eyes in surprise. "That's impossible. He's MALE!"

"I know. But he's absolutely certain. And I seem to recall Mayuri mentioning that hollow reproduction isn't a simple male and female thing…" The painted man. Starrk's lip curled at the thought of him. He was NOT eating the sleepy candy if it meant that man might get hold of him and his pups! Just the thought of it made him growl. "We should talk about this privately. It will have to be brought up at the captain's meeting…" Starrk lifted his head at that, slightly curious. Why would they be interested in his young? But if the yellow haired one heard, maybe he would want some too. Starrk could still sire pups. Then the two of them left the room and he decided it was nothing to worry about. Slipping over to the desk, he pulled open a drawer and got into the bag of treats again.

He could always use some more food.

* * *

The next taichou's meeting went interestingly, to say the least.

"…Starrk-san refuses to leave Kyoraku taichou's office, so I examined him there. He is most definitely pregnant. His internal organs have shifted to accommodate the fetuses." Unohana said as everyone listened, mostly appalled although the Visored were curious and slightly disturbed.

"We knew it was mating season for hollows but damned if we thought that could happen! Good thing we kept him away from Rose." Shinji said with a grin as his fellow taichou blushed, shifting uncomfortably. "His hollow is a submissive type." They all knew that, which was why they'd taken particular care to keep Starrk away from him.

"You said fetuses? How many is he carrying? And who is the father?" Yamamoto asked as Shunsui hid his face beneath his hat. Unohana answered calmly.

"The father is Kyoraku taichou." He tried to ignore all the attention that was suddenly centering on him, although it was hard. "And he appears to be carrying three, from our tests. It's possible but unlikely that we may have missed one." Shunsui closed his eyes, hunching over a bit. He was sure –

"Shunsui!" The expected smack came from Juushiro. He winced, looking at his best friend sheepishly.

"It wasn't my fault. I was drunk!" He protested as the entire table sniggered at his plight. Well, except for Yamamoto. He was looking particularly stern. "I suppose I shouldn't have gotten drunk around him. But my desk was always safe before!" He really hadn't thought Starrk would do something like that.

"Should the pregnancy be terminated?" Soi Fon asked, voicing something that was on all their minds. Unohana and Komamura both shook their heads.

"I would refuse to do so. To see if Starrk is capable of making these decisions, I ran another IQ test on him. He scored eighty, which is well within the normal range. He is fully aware of his condition and looking forward to his children. I don't think we can terminate this pregnancy without causing him lasting harm." She said firmly and Komamura nodded.

"The pup's reasoning ability has been increasing. I fear he will certainly connect the loss of his litter with us. As happy as he is about the children, I fear what his reaction would be." He said and there were frowns around the table. Then Mayuri added his opinion to the mix.

"Besides, it would be a scientific loss of the first order! These children will be remarkable specimens. And three? Perhaps I could be allowed to dissect one – " He started and got dirty looks from well over half the table.

"Absolutely not. These are my children. But, ah, what position will we take towards them?" Shunsui asked, hoping desperately he wouldn't have to inform his family of this. If Yamamoto ordered them to keep this under cover, he wouldn't have to. Sure enough, the old man did not disappoint.

"Until we have determined what these offspring will be, I want this to be kept as private as possible. The fact that Starrk is not willing to stir from Kyoraku's office should help." He rumbled and Shunsui nodded, relieved. Starrk's denning behavior definitely would help with that. "Once the children have been examined we will better know what to do."

"So terminating the pregnancy is definitely not an option?" Soi Fon asked, in the tone of someone just making sure. Yamamoto considered it for a moment before nodding.

"If the former Espada is intelligent enough to understand his condition, it would be cruel. I defer to Komamura taichou and Retsu taichou in this." He said and everyone nodded. "Now, for our next order of business…" Shunsui let the rest of the meeting wash over him, just glad he wasn't going to have to explain half-hollow babies to his clan. Although from the sharp looks Juushiro was giving him, he would have to talk about it, and sooner rather than later. Feeling a bit put upon, Shunsui sighed to himself.

One night of innocently getting drunk in his office shouldn't lead to something like this.

* * *

Many months later.

Starrk circled awkwardly, trying to settle his enormous belly into a comfortable position. It wasn't easy, especially since he was experiencing birthing pains. There was a monitoring bracelet around his wrist, meant to alert someone if he was giving birth. But they still thought Starrk was dumb. Looking around warily, he carefully licked the clasp. Then he nudged it with his teeth, working at unhooking the little piece of metal. It wasn't easy and he could never have done it with his paws. But his tongue was rather long and useful and his teeth could do amazing things.

The bracelet popped free and Starrk regarded it, feeling very proud of himself. He was getting so smart! Even a year ago he probably couldn't have done that. Assured that his birthing would proceed unhindered by annoying people, Starrk settled in to complete the process.

It wasn't just instincts guiding him. In that long ago time he could hardly remember, he had done this. When he'd had just four legs, he'd brought pups out into a world full of sand, lit by the light of a crescent moon. Starrk vaguely remembered both joy and deep sorrow in the memory, but ignored that in favor of the knowledge it gave him. He knew the tightening of his muscles, the sensation of the birthing pains. He knew how to do this. He'd done it before, he could do it again.

His labor was not a difficult one but it still took many hours. Fortunately, it all happened during the night. There was no one to hear his soft pants and grunts, the wet sounds and the mewling cries of the newly born offspring. Or the gentle licking and nuzzling, the soft sounds of Starrk cleaning up the afterbirth and his nest. Eventually, he snuggled into his blankets and just gazed at his pups in maternal pride. Then he grinned, very pleased with himself.

Shunsui would be getting quite a surprise in the morning!

* * *

Starrk watched benignly as Shunsui yawned and stretched before gazing at his paperwork with a faint air of hopelessness. There was quite a bit of it waiting for his attention and he sighed before taking the most urgent things and having a look. Then, one of the pups mewled, loudly. Starrk moved slightly, shifting to let the little one climb to a different teat. As he did, Shunsui looked up. His eyes were a bit wide.

"Starrk, what was that sound?" He asked and Starrk just yawned before giving him a canine grin. "What… oh my sweet kami, you're not wearing your bracelet!" He'd just spotted the silvery thing on the floor. Starrk hadn't bothered to hide it. "What have you done?" Shunsui demanded as he left his desk, kneeling by the nest of blankets. Starrk thumped his tail on the ground happily as the blankets were pulled away. "Kami." Shunsui whispered as he gazed upon his offspring for the first time. Starrk looked down at them again, feeling a warm, maternal pride in his pups.

To his eyes, they were perfect. Three well-formed little pups. They were covered in a soft, downy fur, light grey like his tail. To Starrk that fur seemed like puppy down and it would probably fall off in time. Their eyes were tightly closed so he had no idea of the color. Their little hands, though, were more like Shunsui's than his own. So were their legs, bending in a way that seemed more human than animal. They had tails though, tails and little dog ears on their furry little heads. Their head fur – hair? – was a mixture of grey and chestnut brown. What it would eventually settle into was anyone's guess.

"Two girls, one boy." Starrk offered as Shunsui just stared, his expression one of disbelief. "Remember the names?" They'd already picked them out. Unohana had been able to tell them the sexes of the children months ago.

"I… remember… Starrk, why did you take off the bracelet? If something had gone wrong…!" Shunsui started and Starrk curled his lip, irritated.

"Nothing went wrong. We are all fine. See?" He said stubbornly and Shunsui sighed before gently patting him on the head. Starrk leaned into that, enjoying the attention.

"I'll call Unohana. She needs to take a look at them." Shunsui said firmly and Starrk nodded. He was fine with that. He liked her very much. "And you. Oh Starrk, what are we to do with you?" That was said softly and Starrk looked into his face, seeing a pained look there. It puzzled him and made him feel slightly hurt. Why did Shunsui always act like there was something wrong with him? His 'master' left the room and Starrk tried to not think about it. Instead, he put all his attention into the pups cuddled against him.

They were beyond adorable and soon everyone would be marveling at them.

* * *

Starrk was absolutely right about that.

Unohana came first. She weighed and measured all the pups before pronouncing them perfectly healthy if rather small and underdeveloped for shinigami young. Her opinion was that this was normal for Starrk, given that he was a dog hollow. The way their eyes were closed also supported that.

After she left, though, other people started to visit. They were trying to keep the pregnancy mostly a secret, but many people knew. Peony-girl and rabbit-girl both came as he was grooming the pups. Starrk loved grooming his pups and did it a great deal. It also kept them and the nest clean, which he was scrupulous about.

"Oh my kami that is SO CUTE!" That soft squeal didn't disturb the pups and made Starrk flick his ears in amusement. "Can we pet them?"

"Okay." Starrk agreed, letting them approach his litter. He trusted them both… well, mostly. He trusted them with his litter but not with his hair. He might end up with pink bows in. They both knelt down and touched the downy fur of the pups, who reacted with surprise and then pleasure at the touches.

"So soft… what are their names?" Peony-girl asked quietly as rabbit-girl made soft little sounds at his young. Starrk yawned before nudging the boy with a paw.

"Aiko." Then he touched one of the girls. "Chiaki." Those were both Shunsui's selections. Then he touched the final girl. "Lily." He didn't know why, but that name seemed connected to the green haired girl, the one whose memory caused him so much pain. Starrk was certain she had been someone dear to him and now was lost. He was even fairly sure the loss was connected to the images he had of trying to hurt Shunsui. It was all something he didn't want to think about, but he'd wanted to name one of the children that anyway.

"Such beautiful names… oh, Ukitake taichou!" Rabbit girl said as the white haired man stepped into the room. Starrk eyed him warily before lifting his lips in a warning snarl. The man caught the hint and stopped, his expression puzzled and just a touch hurt. "Starrk-chan, what's wrong?" Rabbit-girl had caught the interplay too and looked at him, frowning.

"…Not make puppies sick?" That scent of illness worried him. He'd never worried about it for himself but he was big and strong. The pups were little and weak. The white haired man suddenly smiled, his brown eyes warming.

"Oh, is that the problem? Don't worry Starrk-san. No one can catch my disease." He assured him and Starrk looked at him dubiously. "Unohana Retsu did that for me. Believe me, the children will be fine. I would never harm them." He said sincerely and Starrk did believe that. Nodding, he allowed the taichou to approach.

That set the tone for the day. Before it was over, he'd gotten visits from the wolf headed taichou, the very big one with the funny hair and the one with the golden hair. Starrk had greeted him very cheerfully and indicated that he wouldn't mind siring a litter, not just bearing one. That had made him turn red and shake his head although from the scent of him, Starrk was willing to bet he would want some sooner or later. He could be patient.

Then Shunsui came and he was being strange again. Maybe it was because he was the sire? He thought he needed to help? But he kept trying to do things Starrk didn't want him to do.

"No!" Starrk growled, pulling the 'diaper' off his pup with his teeth. He didn't want that there! Shunsui ran a hand through his hair, looking very irritated with him.

"Starrk, we went to a lot of trouble to have those made!" He protested and Starrk just shook his head before swiping off the child with his tongue. "They'll make the nest dirty." He appealed and Starrk just blinked at him. "They poop, Starrk!"

"…I eat it." He said, mystified. Shunsui gagged, which mystified him even more. What was wrong with that? "I keep them clean all day long." He was constantly cleaning his pups. And also, he had a very good reason not to want those 'diapers' anywhere near the pups. "Shunsui, who will put on and take off those things?" He asked patiently before lifting his paws and looking at them. The short, stubby fingers were almost deformed compared to the graceful things Shunsui and the pups had. "I can't." That suddenly made him feel a bit sad. Why didn't he have nice fingers? Then he shrugged the thought aside. He was what he was. Then Shunsui was taking his hands and Starrk looked up into troubled grey eyes.

"…Oh. You're right, I hadn't thought of that." He said quietly, gently cradling those paw-hands before reaching up to gentle ruffle Starrk's fur. He leaned into the attention, loving it. "We really need to fix this. You need to be whole again."

"Mmhmm." Starrk had no idea what he was agreeing to, really. Did Shunsui mean he should have two legs he would walk on again? That would be nice. And real hands… that would be very nice. He would like that. "Love you Shunsui. The pups love you too." He suddenly said and Shunsui smiled, his grey eyes warming.

"I love them too Starrk. I love them too." He said softly and Starrk smiled, settling in around his pups again.

For the young hybrid, life was good.


	13. Play Dead Part Three - Casualties

Starrk lay on his back, his eyes closed as he listened to the gentle strumming of his friend and partner's guitar.

Rose was only alive now because of him. Starrk had happened to arrive in time to see his bankai. And also hear the idiot explain how it worked to his enemy. He'd managed to save Rose from any injury when the Quincy he was facing exploded his own eardrums to get out of the bankai, but only at the cost of a painful injury to himself. Afterwards, he'd had some words to say and they hadn't been nice.

_Has anyone ever told you that running your mouth can kill you? You practically told him how to defeat you! If Shunsui had explained to me how his shikai worked, he would have lost!_ Starrk smiled a little at the memory. It had been nothing but the truth and they had both known it.

"Do you hear it?" Rose asked and Starrk opened his eyes, glancing at the other man. He was looking out the window, his expression that slightly bored look he always had. But beneath it was something else, something that seemed very sad and tired to Starrk. But then, they were all suffering under the relentless attacks.

"No." He said softly, wishing he had a different answer. "I can't. I'm sorry." He did regret that he could find no beauty in the sounds his friend was making. But to him, it was only noise. He was learning to tolerate it but that was all.

"Ah, well. Maybe someday." Rose said with a smile before putting his guitar aside and settling down with him on the bed mat. He placed an arm around Starrk, snuggling close, but there was no spark in the air. They were both too tired and sick of battle for anything intimate. All they wanted was the comfort of being close to each other. "Soon, the Zero squad will arrive. Are you ready?"

"Mmm." Everyone had high hopes for him and the Zero squad. "I only hope they can help me." Starrk and Lilinette's problem was that there was only so much of their power they could release at once. Like trying to force all the water of a lake out through a faucet. Terrific force could be generated but it was not as much as it could be.

"I hope they can help me." Rose said with a small sigh and Starrk understood his troubles. The trick Mask had tried wasn't the only problem with his bankai. Starrk had demonstrated the other problem himself… he closed his eyes as he remembered.

"_I want you to try your bankai against me." Grey eyes met confused violet._

"_Why?"_

"_I want to see if it will work. I don't think it will." That made Rose frown and pull out his zanpakuto. Soon the orchestra was playing and the figures were moving. Starrk did nothing, observing passively as Rose tried to launch a weak version of Prometheus, his fire attack._

_It did exactly nothing. The arrancar just watched as the figures tried, time and again, to burn him. It simply didn't work and Rose's eyes widened at the sight._

"_You… you're not deaf!" He said, confused and Starrk sighed as he scratched himself behind his ear. Lilinette wasn't with him and for good reason. She was a younger soul and would be vulnerable._

"_No. But I can't hear your music. I hear a rather annoying noise." Starrk said, stunning the other man._

"_You're tone deaf?" He asked and Starrk frowned. He honestly wasn't sure what that meant. _

"_I'm not sure… I am very old. My people had no music." He said and saw something that surprised him on the other man's face. Compassion for him?_

"_That's so sad…" Rose murmured and Starrk just blinked at him. Sad? Of course, he didn't know what he was missing. Maybe it was sad…_

Starrk smiled as he remembered the tests afterwards. Rose had handled it himself, and by trial and error they had determined he was not actually tone deaf. He could tell the differences between half notes easily. But something, somewhere, was broken in his mind. Some critical link that would take the notes and turn them into a harmonious whole, rather than a discordant jangle. Turning his attention to the man against him, he buried his face in that beautiful, golden hair.

"Starrk, why do you hate Kyoraku soutaichou?" Rose suddenly asked and Starrk blinked.

"I wouldn't say I hate him…" That was such a strong word. "I merely… dislike him." That was certainly true. He was civil but had rejected several overtures from the man. "He irritates me."

"Why?" Rose said simply and Starrk blinked, trying to find an answer. He hadn't really thought much about his reaction before. He gave it a bit of deep thought before doing his best.

"He is a noble, born with both power and position. He rarely thinks about the peasants of the Rukongai, and usually only if I point out to him what will happen to them." Starrk remembered one particular plan to blow up a dam in order to flood an area and make it harder for the Quincies to pass through. Starrk had been the one to point out that they could anticipate many deaths among the peasantry in the area. Both from the flood and the inevitable disease that would follow. "It… irritates me that he wants to be my friend. If I were what I once had been, I would be beneath his notice." Merely a rather strange animal. Or perhaps, an object of pity. Starrk's lip curled slightly at the thought.

"…So, essentially, this is a class thing?" Rose said after a moment and Starrk blinked as he parsed that.

"You make it sound so petty." He said after a moment. Rose lifted his head and looked at him, his violet eyes rather stern.

"Isn't it?" He said and Starrk was silent for a moment. Was he being petty and unfair? "Shunsui does his best, Starrk. Before all this happened, the Kyoraku estates were among the best run in the Seireitei." Rose paused for a moment, then sighed softly. "I do understand where you're coming from. You probably don't know, but I was born into the Rukongai. Before the Academy was founded, I wouldn't have been considered worthy to own a sword, much less become a shinigami. Many of the nobles at the academy could be difficult, for a street brat like me." He said softly and Starrk nodded. He could picture that. "But Shunsui isn't like that. He would never hold their birth against someone. He is still a high noble and maybe that clouds how he sees the world, but he's a good man Starrk."

"….Hn." Starrk closed his eyes as lives flashed behind his eyes. So many, dead too soon, the unpitied and unremembered victims of war. He could see those lives, ended so painfully, completely disregarded by those who should have defended or at least tried. And he knew the mindset of the noble, that those little lives were nothing, merely objects to be used and discarded to benefit the nobility. But could he picture Shunsui sharing that mindset? His mind flashed back to the little girl the man had tried to heal. No, Shunsui wouldn't feel that way. He had trouble thinking of them at all, sometimes, but he did not dismiss them as mere pawns. "Perhaps you are right. I will be more… amenable, in the future." And perhaps he would make an overture of his own. It wasn't right, letting Shunsui do all the heavy lifting. Rose smiled and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"You know, that's what I love about you." Rose said softly, which surprised Starrk a bit. That was the first time either of them had used that word. "You take criticism well and are always willing to think about things."

"Mmm, thank you." That was true. "You know what I love about you?" Starrk suddenly said and Rose lifted his head, curious. "You care about those around you, always." The shinigami's eyes softened and he smiled, squeezing Starrk's hand.

"Thank you. That's not as romantic as 'you have beautiful eyes', but it's far more meaningful." He said and Starrk nodded. Silence fell and soon, they were both deeply asleep.

The war with the Quincy seemed to be neverending. They would rest when they could.

* * *

As time went on, Starrk could see the effects of the conflict on Shunsui.

He wished, more than once, that the terrible old man he'd felt on the battlefield of fake Karakura town hadn't fallen so easily. But then, to have his greatest power ripped away and used on him… having such a great power had actually become his fatal weakness. A weaker bankai might have been avoided but not Ryujin Jakka.

Starrk didn't want the man for himself, of course. He hadn't known Genryusai Yamamoto at all. But he wished the man was here to take up the responsibilities of command. As old and wise and strategically brilliant as Kyoraku Shunsui was, he was suffering greatly under the strain. How could he not? This war was unparalled in its bitterness. And he hadn't even been involved in causing it. Shunsui hadn't been alive when the Quincy had been massacred. It seemed massively unfair that Yamamoto wasn't available to clean up his own mess.

But life was unfair and Starrk had learned to accept that an immensely long time ago. After all, he was the perfect example of the unfairness of the universe. Death denied to him for all eternity, even soul cleansing beyond his reach… what was the fairness in that? Leaving aside any worthless thoughts of 'fair', Starrk turned his mind back to Shunsui. The man was slowly but surely falling apart. The final blow had been the loss of Juushiro. He was either dead or captured, they weren't sure which. And they also weren't sure which was worse. The Quincy could be horrifically inventive, likely payback for the atrocities Soul Society had visited on them. The fact that Juushiro was also too young to be involved meant nothing to them.

"Oi, Starrk!" A little girl landed on his chest and he grunted. With no need to hide their nature, Lilinette had assumed her true form. It was nicer for her than the wolf, really. Strangers didn't respect her as much, perhaps, but she had hands. "You've been sleeping all day!"

_I wasn't sleeping._ He didn't bother to tell her that, though. Truthfully, half the time he was 'sleeping' he was actually just thinking deep thoughts. Starrk vastly preferred that everyone thought he was sleeping, though. If they knew he was thinking they tended to ask him what he was thinking about and that was just an exhausting question to answer. Starrk preferred to not go there.

"Well, I'm awake now." He said before sitting up and glancing at the window. The sun was just beginning to set. "You wake me up when the sun is going down?" He asked and she rolled her single eye.

"You're a dumbass! We're having a little victory celebration, remember?" She said and Starrk paused before sighing.

"Oh, right." The last offensive had killed several powerful sternritters. And Starrk's power was only becoming greater. The Zero Squad's training had worked wonders for him, teaching him a second resurrection. It was terrible and Starrk knew he might eventually face Juha Bach with it. He had yet to use it in combat, though. They were saving that as a surprise for just the right time. "Well, let's go." Vaguely, Starrk wondered if Shunsui would be there. They had hoped to recover Juushiro, or at least his body, on the offensive. But they had found nothing.

Starrk greeted Rose warmly as they met in the clearing the party was being held in. The Visored smiled back at him but they soon parted, not to Starrk's surprise. They were not exclusive and it was clear Rose had his eye on someone else tonight. Starrk didn't mind. When Rose had first approached him, he'd made it clear he wasn't quite ready to settle down.

So Starrk circulated through the party, just being friendly. It was a bit difficult for him. He was in no way a people person. Soon, he found himself relegated to the sidelines, snacking on a bit of roasted bird. As he did, though, he scanned the crowd for a certain person. Would Kyoraku Shunsui come to the party?

The answer was no. Starrk set his food aside with a frown as he realized the man was nowhere to be seen. Leaving Lilinette behind – she was having fun – he decided to go check Shunsui's quarters. They weren't his original ones. Those had been destroyed in the fighting. Now he was living in a heavily warded compound, part of a much larger structure. Starrk wasn't sure what it had been for originally but it was strong and highly defensible. So far, nothing and no one had penetrated it.

Starrk's own quarters were there so he had the locks to the door, so to speak. He didn't actually know the way to Shunsui's quarters but his reiatsu sensing was excellent. He soon tracked the man's power to a certain room and knocked firmly on the door. There was a shuffling inside before the door opened.

Starrk was honestly alarmed by Shunsui's appearance. His eyes were rimmed with red and he reeked of alcohol. His hair looked unwashed and his clothing was badly stained. How long had he been drinking? No one had seen him the previous day and things were quiet, so he'd been left undisturbed. Starrk wished they hadn't, now.

"Starrk?" Shunsui seemed surprised to see him. But then, why wouldn't he be? "To what do I owe the honor?" He said with a crooked smile, his tone a bit strange. Starrk decided to ignore that and just met his eyes calmly.

"I noticed you were not at the celebration and thought you might like some company." He said quietly and saw a flash of something, surprise? Pass over the man's face before vanishing. "I brought you something." He added, lifting his hand. It was a bottle of sake. "Although I don't think you need it at the moment." The smell really was appalling. Of course, Starrk's sense of smell was doglike in sensitivity. Perhaps shinigami would not notice the stench, although Starrk doubted it. Shunsui's eyes seemed to light a little as he saw the bottle.

"Ah, thank you! I was just about out." He said cheerfully and Starrk winced to himself. Shunsui was completely ignoring his last sentence, but he resigned himself to watching the man drink as he handed the bottle over. He couldn't dictate when Shunsui would use it. "Please come in." He offered and Starrk nodded, taking the invitation and glancing around as he stepped inside. Not to his surprise, the room was a mess. Cleaning was not too high on the priority list these days. "Would you like some?"

"Certainly." Starrk answered. Refusing would be rude and besides, he'd come to keep Shunsui company. If he was going to drink, well, that was what Starrk would do. They drank in silence for a time and Starrk looked out the window, watching as the sun went down. He honestly wasn't sure what to say –

"Why are you here? I thought you hated me." Shunsui said and Starrk blinked, looking back at him. The man was staring at him with drunken directness. Starrk sighed before reaching up to rub his forehead. Did everyone think that? He suspected the answer was yes.

"I don't hate you. I never hated you. I merely found you irritating." He said honestly and Shunsui dropped his gaze into his drink, a hurt expression on his face. "I'm here partly because Rose pointed out to me that I was being unfair and classist."

"I… wait, what? Classist?" Shunsui said, confused. Starrk smiled at him before taking a sip of his drink.

"You are a high noble and a very powerful man. It affects how you view the world, and that rubbed me the wrong way. Rose was gracious enough to tell me I was being petty and I've taken his words to heart." Really, Rose was right. It was a very stupid thing to hold against someone. Shunsui suddenly laughed and Starrk blinked. "Hm?"

"…A super powered hollow, a power even that idiot Grimmjow fears, and you hold my being a noble against me? That seems rather absurd!" Shunsui said cheerfully before taking a deep drink of his sake. Starrk shrugged.

"It may seem that way but you must think of the composition of my souls. I may have dukes, duchesses, earls and knights in here, but they are vastly outnumbered by the commoners, I assure you." Starrk said lightly before smiling. It was a crooked, unhappy smile. "The victims of war, of plague and famine, the murdered and the murderers… they are all here. Every last one." He said softly and saw Shunsui swallow. Then he deliberately lightened his tone. "But as I said, it was petty. And it occurred to me that you should not be alone. So, I am here."

"To keep me company?" Shunsui sounded both sad and amused. "Well, you have good timing I suppose." He said and Starrk tilted his head slightly in inquiry. But the other man said nothing more. They drank in silence for a time and Starrk could almost see the gloom settling over Shunsui.

"…You miss him." He suddenly said, knowing it might be a mistake. But he had to say something. Shunsui gazed into his drink, expression deeply saddened.

"He's probably dead. I almost hope he's dead. The things they do to captives…" He said and Starrk bowed his head. They had found a few remains, in some of the camps they had taken. The Quincy were merciless towards captive shinigami.

"My one fear in this conflict is the thought of being taken alive." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui nodded. "I fear they know about my regeneration. It would be… highly useful to them." A horrific thought and entirely plausible, if he happened to fall into Quincy hands.

"And yet, you fight." Shunsui observed and Starrk smiled.

"I have never been a coward, Kyoraku Shunsui. I've been many things but not that." He did not seek danger out but he did not turn aside from it, either.

"Mmm." They fell into silence again, but it was a better silence. Eventually, though, even Shunsui had to reach his capacity. Starrk watched as the shinigami blinked and yawned. The hand holding the sake was shaking, although he did not seem quite ready to give it up. Starrk decided it was time to take action.

"You've had enough. Come, it's time for bed." He stood and went to Shunsui's side, gently prying the saucer out of his hand. The man let him and he helped Shunsui to his bedroom. When he tried to set the man down, though, a hand suddenly gripped his wrist.

"Stay with me. Please stay." He breathed and Starrk met his red rimmed eyes, surprised. He'd thought Kyoraku only liked women. "I… need…" Starrk found himself pulled down into a kiss. The taste of sake on those warm, slightly chapped lips was strong. For a moment the feeling was all that mattered, the taste of the alcohol and the hard body beneath him. Then rationality intruded and Starrk tried to pull away.

"Shunsui, you are drunk." He said gently. This probably wasn't a good idea. What if Shunsui wasn't really aware of who he was trying to have sex with? The desperation on the shinigami's face, though, stilled any further protests.

"I just need… something… please." He whispered and Starrk swallowed before nodding. Shunsui was in such pain. He would do what he could to ease it.

There was no lubrication that Starrk could see, so he made do with spit. That was fine. As insane as his body was about regenerating, he would hardly feel the pain. Going down Shunsui's body he decided to moisten his dick in the most direct, pleasurable way available. Shunsui groaned, hands tangling in his hair as that hot mouth enclosed his erection. Starrk opened himself up as he worked on the shinigami, slowly sucking and gently working that firm, pulsing flesh.

When he thought he was ready he pulled back, before moving back up Shunsui's body. The drunk man just looked at him in anticipation, his breath coming fast as he realized what Starrk was going to do. Starrk lowered himself onto the man's cock, grimacing slightly at the flash of pain. It dulled swiftly, though, and he drew a deep breath as he began to move.

"Oh sweet kami Starrk…" Hands were on his hips, guiding him. But not for long. Starrk grunted in surprise as Shunsui abruptly took control, swapping their positions. Starrk was on his back then as Shunsui rode him powerfully, taking him with quick, strong strokes. Starrk cried out, a wordless, lustful sound as his prostate was hit. The shinigami knew what he was doing. Clearly, this was not Shunsui's first time with a man… "Starrk. The look on your face… so beautiful." Shunsui whispered in his ear and Starrk could only groan, his hands tangling in Shunsui's kimono. They were both still largely clothed. Somehow, that was arousing…

Hands gripped his rump and pulled him closer, as Shunsui tried to get everything he could from Starrk's body. The arrancar beneath him was withering in pleasure, crying out with abandon. He didn't care who heard them, if anyone was even here. They might all be at the party. But what did it matter? All that mattered was the pleasure and passion of the moment. Grey eyes met grey and Starrk saw the desperate need, the burning passion in Shunsui's eyes.

"Shunsui, harder, uh…" Starrk gasped out, his voice full of his own need. Shunsui's eyes widened just before he tried to obey, speeding his rhythm and taking him even deeper. "AH!" Starrk arched, his neglected member rubbing between the two of them as his prostate was scored another direct hit. The incredible sensations were undoing his control.

"Always wanted this… from the first time I saw you…" Shunsui said in his ear and Starrk marveled at that with the tiny part of his mind that was not occupied with their rutting. When they'd faced over fake Karakura town, Shunsui had been thinking of this? That might explain the smile on his face… then the pleasure wiped away any rational thought and Starrk cried out, his voice deep and full of need. "Kami, so vocal…" Their lips met as Shunsui swallowed his sounds, exploring his mouth with all the passion in the world.

It seemed to go on forever. Starrk was almost incoherent, sweat beading on his face and trickling down his fine skin, when he felt the churning pleasure finally coming to a peak. Shunsui grunted, his grey eyes intent on the man beneath him, the look on his face and the tight heat surrounding his member. Reaching between them, he grasped Starrk's cock and gave him a quick series of jerks. Starrk arched with a low cry as his release coated Shunsui's hand, splattering between the two of them. His whole body tightened and he looked into Shunsui's face as the shinigami found his own moment of pleasure. The look on his face, the intense concentration and the passion there… Starrk held on to his shoulders, feeling breathless and weak as Shunsui spent himself into his body. The seething heat in his core made him shudder and Starrk felt it as his body absorbed the power, greedily looking for more. He had to restrain his sudden hunger, just gently nuzzling Shunsui's neck. It was always like that, when he made love. His instincts always wanted to feed just afterward. But Starrk was in control of that instinct.

"Oh Starrk." Shunsui whispered in his ear, sounding tired and content. "Please stay. I need you." He said and Starrk blinked, wondering if he meant for just the night. Or did he mean forever? It didn't matter. He couldn't turn aside from this strong, brave, struggling man.

"I will stay." He promised and Shunsui's smile was beautiful. He slowly pulled away and they slowly settled together on the sleeping mat. Starrk curled up with him, just enjoying the closeness.

In these troubled times, that was sometimes all they had.


	14. Role Reversal

Lilinette sat on the roof of the building, kicking her heels idly as the breeze played with her hair.

"Starrk…" She whispered, almost feeling his comforting presence beside her. Like, if she turned her head, he would be there, smiling at her. But when she actually did there was nothing. Nothing but empty stone and the aching void inside her soul. "…I hate you so much." She rubbed her face, wishing with all her heart that Starrk hadn't been so _stupid._ Why was she still here? It must have been his fault. "You promised me we'd always have each other and you _lied._" He'd left her all alone.

"Lilinette-chan?" That voice made her twitch. She didn't want THAT GUY bothering her! Why did he always seem to follow her around? "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" She snapped back but that didn't deter him. He sat down right beside her and she wanted to push him off the roof. She knew better than to try, though. She wouldn't get far. "What d'you want old fart?" He had to be old as dirt with that white hair. Although he was pretty ageless aside from that. The other guy, the Soutaichou, now he really was older than dirt.

"That's not nice! Did you want a candy?" He asked and she shook her head. She really didn't. "Come on, it will make you feel better." He cajoled and she sighed before taking the foil wrapped treat and slowly opening the wrapper.

"Really won't." She said before popping it into her mouth. It did sweeten her mood a bit, not that she'd admit it. He was looking at her sympathetically and she avoided his eyes. What good did his sympathy do, anyway? Starrk would still be gone. "I can almost hear him sometimes, you know." Lilinette suddenly said. She didn't like this guy but then, she didn't like anyone here. Being surrounded by shinigami really sucked. "But I know it's just my imagination." Her mind supplying herself with the things Starrk would have said. She knew it wasn't real. He was gone.

"I'm sorry Lilinette. But you have to move on." He said compassionately. Lilinette just snarled at him.

"Move on? We were the same person! We were together forever and ever! How the hell am I supposed to move on?!" And where was there to move to? She hated this place and hated most of the people in it. Which was fair enough since no one liked her, either. It was weird… Lilinette was realizing that while she'd given Starrk the kick in the pants he needed to talk to people, he'd done something for her, too. He'd held her back, made her behave and be nice. Without Starrk to remind her when she was being a brat, well, she just didn't get along. "Just lemmee alone." She muttered, feeling miserable. Why had this happened to them? There was a warm hand on her shoulder before the taichou left. Lilinette just looked away, remembering the past and vaguely wishing that she was dead, too.

Then she and Starrk could be together again.

* * *

_Lili… nette…?_ Starrk's voice again, sounding like he'd just roused out of a sleep. Lilinette grimaced, rubbing her head as she ate some food. She wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but it tasted okay and the girl at the mess hall had given her a plate of it when she'd asked.

She was hanging out around Ukitake's Division again, mostly because she had nothing better to do. A lot of the other Divisions would run her off, and there was nothing she could do about it. Reaching up, she fingered the reiatsu limiter around her neck. It wasn't very powerful, but it didn't need to be. She wasn't powerful either.

"Shut up. You're not real." She said firmly to the ghost of her other half. Then she twitched as the voice in her head replied, still sounding totally out of it.

_I'm… not…?_ She just sighed at herself and kept eating. It was really stupid how she kept hearing him. She needed to stop that or face the fact that she was really going crazy. _Lilinette?_

"What?! Just shut up you stupid ghost!" She snapped. There was a long silence and she was just starting to think it had gone away before that stubborn voice spoke again.

_I'm not a ghost. I don't think? Am I inside your body? _The voice sounded… scared? Lilinette blinked, her food suddenly forgotten. This was different. Usually the Starrk voice she heard was saying the things he used to say, telling her to be nicer or that he wanted to sleep. This… didn't make sense. _Oh kami what are you eating? That's disgusting!_

"Huh? What is?" She thought the food tasted… wait. Who cared about that?! "Oh my god Starrk are you really in there?" Had SHE somehow absorbed HIM? If she had then – "All this time you were sleeping?! You lazy bastard! Get out here so I can kick you!" He deserved a good arse kicking for worrying her!

_I don't think I can? I'm so confused. What am I?_ He definitely sounded scared and Lilinette frowned. Had she _absorbed_ him somehow? But that didn't make a lot of sense. He was the stronger of the two. Of course, he was a dumbass and might have somehow been trying to shield her…

"Hey, if you're here do we still have our power?" She suddenly asked. The limiter around her neck wasn't that strong. Maybe…? "Try to raise it Starrk! Do it now! Prove to me you're real!" He was a lazy bastard but that would get him moving.

Sure enough, blue power flared around her. It kept building and building until the collar cracked and fell apart. Lilinette gasped as she felt all the power… and it was in HER hands. Not Starrk's! Suddenly, she knew the truth. Starrk was the subordinate one now. HE was HER zanpakuto and her face split in a grin as she felt the energy coursing through her.

_Uh, Lilinette? Can you try to manifest me?_ Starrk was sounding really alarmed. He could be such a chickenshit sometimes… Lilinette laughed gleefully.

"Oh yeah, you're going to manifest! We're going to kick shinigami ass! Come on Starrk!" They'd probably already sensed that power flare anyway.

_No! Lilinette, why should we do that? The war's over and they've been keeping you safe!_ Starrk protested and she snarled at him even as she used sonido.

"They've been MEAN to me! I'm going to show them – woah!" Her sonido was a lot faster now. She almost tripped and fell but caught herself as she nearly exploded into the practice yard. And the white haired jerk was there! "HEY OLD FART! I'm here for a rematch!" She said with a fiendish grin. He turned to look at her with a frown.

"Lilinette-chan, that's not nice." He said reprovingly as some of the shinigami laughed. That put her teeth on edge. They never took her seriously! Well, she was going to show them!

"I'll show you not nice you old geezer! I've got Starrk back! KICK ABOUT, LOS LOBOS!" She called on her power and it _worked._ It surrounded her in blue energy and even knocked down some of the weaklings around the taichou. He was staring at her, his brown eyes wide. When it was done, Lilinette grinned as she felt the weight of guns in her hands. Pausing, she looked herself over.

She was wearing a really cute little outfit. Tights that fit her like a glove and a top that reminded her of a tournament fencer's. All white with black lines, of course. She still had the black bandoliers on her back, for summoning the wolves, and a belt of grey fur. Two holsters for her guns. Lilinette grinned as she looked at the guns. Those had been her, but now they were Starrk!

"Lilinette, why are we doing this?" Starrk appealed to her and she snarled at his tinny voice. The taichou's eyes widened further as he heard it. "We're surrounded by shinigami! Even if we win, we'll have lost!"

"Shut it!" Starrk was just being a coward again. She was getting her revenge on this guy! There was something she had to do first though. "Now let's see…" She holstered one of the guns and began to fiddle with Starrk's butt, exactly the way the bastard had always done to her. There was a loud scream.

"LILINETTE! Oh kami stop it! Stop it stop it stop it!" He appealed to her and she giggled.

"What d'you have to say?" She said in a sing song tone and he whimpered. That was awesome!

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I touched your butt! OH PLEASE KAMI STOP DOING THAT TO ME!" He said and she giggled before finally stopping and pulling out her second gun. He was still whimpering but she ignored it. It was time to fight! And the taichou had his swords out although he was looking pretty torn. Didn't want to fight a kid? Well, too bad!

"Alright!" She pointed the gun at him and pulled the trigger. Bastard would – what? "What are you DOING?" Nothing had happened.

"I – I don't know what I'm doing!" The gun protested and she smacked him against her head. "OW! Lilinette!"

"It's not HARD Starrk! You just fire!" Really, what was his problem? She'd done this all the time! "You know how to make a cero!"

"B-But, it's different! It's… not the same! I don't know how! I'm trying, I swear!" He sounded like he was panicking. He was such a dumbass! She scowled at him. "Do it again, I think I have this…" She pulled the trigger again and a… flower popped out? "No, not that one – "

"Stop this! Little children should not be playing with guns." The white haired jerk said and was he SMILING at them? Did he think this was funny? She was going to kill him!

"Maybe if I – " Lilinette had had enough. She wacked Starrk against her forehead again –

And the biggest cero she'd EVER seen erupted from the gun. It went straight up and actually punched a hole in the dome thingy they had over Soul Society. She'd never seen THAT before, and there had even been a few uprisings and stuff since she'd come. She was knocked on her butt by the force of the blast and just gaped at it for a moment. Then she grinned. That was awesome!

"Okay Starrk, you got it! Do it again!" She pointed her gun at the taichou and saw he'd gone over to shikai. She knew what that did! "AW NO FAIR!" And the guy in pink was there too! He was looking at them with a puzzled smile and he hadn't even drawn his swords!

"Did you think he would just stand there and let you shoot him?" Starrk asked which made her want to smack him. She held back, though. She had a better idea.

"Well screw it then! Wolf pack time! Come on Starrk!" She didn't really know how to call them up though. It took her a moment of puzzling but that part wasn't too hard… she forced her power through the bandoliers and it took the form of a single spirit wolf. "Hey, multiply! You need more than that!" It was up to Starrk to do the multiplication and control of the wolves

"I – I don't know how!" The wolf said and Lilinette groaned. Why was he so stupid?!

"You just split yourself! Come on, you've done it before!" He'd split himself to make her, hadn't he? Why didn't he know this? But it looked like he did. That got him moving and he split into two, then three, then four. "Now go get him and blow up!"

"…How do I blow up?" The wolf asked and Lilinette wanted to kill him. What WAS this?

"You just do! Blowing stuff up isn't hard!" How was she supposed to explain it? She'd just DONE it! It was like breathing, it happened!

Then it happened. All four of the wolves exploded. But they hadn't done the whole MOVING part and Lilinette screamed as she was knocked away, the guns falling out of her hands. Her audience was highly amused.

"Ah, what fun! I believe we could sell tickets to the show." Shunsui glanced around, amused. Sure enough, all the low ranked shinigami were watching and a lot of them were snickering. "I find myself feeling less than threatened." He added just before going to scoop up the guns. He swiftly took then and shunpo'd back to Juushiro's side.

"I really didn't want to be doing this." Starrk's voice was very clear and they both examined the guns curiously. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. We've both dealt with children having temper tantrums before." Juushiro assured him as Lilinette was managing to sit back up.

"I'm NOT A KID! And I'm not having a temper tantrum! HEY! Give me Starrk back!" She demanded and the gun spoke immediately.

"Please don't give me back." Starrk wasn't sure about the shinigami but he was absolutely sure of one thing. He didn't want to be in Lilinette's hands. She appeared to have lost her mind.

"Don't worry, Espada-san. You're safe with me." Shunsui assured him before tucking the guns into his belt. That enraged the little girl beyond measure.

"GIVE HIM BACK!" She launched into a powerful sonido. Shunsui was able to dodge, though, and Lilinette wasn't able to stop. She had completely misjudged her speed and ran into a post, completely demolishing it. "OW!"

"She's not used to my speed… it's not that easy, is it, controlling a power you've never had before?!" Starrk called to her as she extricated herself from the wreckage. Then someone far more powerful arrived.

"Shunsui, Juushiro. What is going on here?" Yamamoto rumbled as he looked over the practice yard. Juushiro smiled as Shunsui chuckled.

"Ah, well. It seems that Coyote Starrk has returned! However, he is now Lilinette Gingerbuck's zanpakuto." He said cheerfully as Yamamoto's gaze fell on the girl. She was cursing and went at him again, determined to get her guns back. He neatly sidestepped and this time she took out a wall. "However, they seem to be unable to control their abilities. It's really quite amusing."

"I'm really very sorry about this. I'm sure you've been treating her well. She holds grudges forever…" The guns said, trying to make peace. Unfortunately, Lilinette heard him.

"NO! They've been, been making me do stuff! And say please and sorry! And be nice to these stupid shinigami! And eat my vegetables! I HATE vegetables! And they treat me like a little kid!" She screamed and there was a brief silence from the guns.

"So, basically, they've been doing everything I would have done?" The weapons asked as Juushiro shook his head and Shunsui smiled. Yamamoto just watched, his hand on his staff. Lilinette's single eye started to tear up.

"But they're NOT YOU! They don't have any right! And they're shinigami and I don't want to be here!" She appealed to her other half and, surprisingly perhaps, Starrk suddenly lost his temper.

"Not me? Since I woke up you haven't been listening to me at all! You've done nothing but abuse me and bully me! When did I ever treat you like this? You know, even if he gave me back to you I wouldn't help you! I'm done! Stop it, Lilinette!" He said very firmly and her eye kept tearing up. "They're right. You're just a child having a tantrum!"

"I'M NOT A KID AND I'M NOT HAVING A TANTRUM! WAAAAAH!" The sudden burst of crying put the lie to that. Juushiro sighed and went to her side, kneeling down beside her.

"Lilinette-chan, you're behaving very badly." He said firmly to the crying child arrancar. She ignored him in favor of more crying. "You need to apologize to Starrk-san." She had her hands over her head and was trying to ignore him. "That isn't going to help, Lilinette-chan." He had brothers and sisters and knew how to deal with children. "Now, say you're sorry and we'll give him back."

"S-S-Sorry." She sniffled and Shunsui lifted his eyebrows.

"Juushiro, are you sure?" Despite the comedy sketch effect, they still had immense power. He could feel it, coiling in both the guns and the girl.

"I won't do anything." Starrk said quickly and he did sound sincere. Against his better judgement, Shunsui handed over the guns. Lilinette immediately cuddled them to her chest.

"I'm s-s-sorry Starrk. I didn't mean to hurt you. Y-You gave up everything to save me. I'm sorry." She said, tears falling down her face as the guns sighed softly.

"It's alright Lilinette. But you need to calm down. Seeking revenge won't help." Starrk's voice was so gentle, so sad. "We failed and now we're here. We just have to make the best of it. Now seal back up, please? You're worrying everyone." Lilinette sniffed and nodded. There was a soft swirl of power and the guns in her hands vanished, her clothing returning to what it should be.

But something else happened, something unexpected. A ball of blue light slid out of her and quickly grew large, before solidifying. The shinigami watched as it took a solid form… a tall, lanky man with chestnut hair and confused grey eyes.

"STARRK!" Lilinette leapt at him and he was knocked down as the little girl filled his arms. "You're back, you're really back I love you I love you I love you…" She was sobbing wildly as her other half held her, smiling. All the shinigami watched the reunion and couldn't help but feel a bit touched.

Maybe now that she had her other half back, Lilinette would finally be happy again.


	15. Scarfing - GrimmStarrk

Author's Note: This weirdness was inspired by the latest Oglaf comic. It's bizarre and hilarious, go check it out!

* * *

"…And for your crimes you are sentenced to death. The executions will take place in ten days time, on Sogyoku hill." The terrible old man rumbled, not to his audience's surprise. The remaining Espada took the news rather calmly. They hadn't expected mercy from shinigami. "Do you have any last requests?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do!" Grimmjow said immediately. "I want to try scarfing!" There was a silence from the audience. "You know, asphyxiation during sex! It's pretty fucking dangerous so I never did it before. But if I'm gonna die anyway now's the time, right?"

"…My last request is that I be allowed to scarf Grimmjow." Starrk said, quite intrigued by the thought. His fellow Espada grinned.

"HELL ya!" That thought pleased him greatly. Letting some random shinigami shag him… nah… letting Starrk shag him? Hell yes! Halibel closed her eyes for a moment.

"My last request is that I be given a room as far away from these idiots as possible." She said and they both ignored her. Yamamoto wasn't particularly interested in the byplay, though.

"Granted." It was an extremely silly last request and with the retaining collars in place and the kido wards over them, the Espada could be safely put together for one night. Grimmjow grinned as Starrk smiled, pleased.

Of course, what Yamamoto didn't know was the nature of the hollow survival instinct. If Mayuri had thought very hard about it, he might have realized the possible consequences. And if Starrk had been the first to make the request, maybe he would have. But everyone underestimated Grimmjow's intelligence, even Halibel. Only Starrk truly knew the man and knew how clever he could be.

"Well done Grimmjow. I didn't think of it." Starrk said in a low tone although truthfully, he wasn't worried that they were being observed. Most of the shinigami seemed to be nauseated by the thought of their same-sex escapades. "Now, who should actually be strangled?" He asked and Grimmjow frowned.

"I dunno. My collars' not as strong as yours but I'm less powerful." Grimmjow squinted at Starrk's collar assessingly for a moment. "I think it should be you. You're a fucking nightmare… but do you want to?" This was going to be a dangerous act. Starrk smiled and it was a bit brittle.

"As you said, if we are going to die there is nothing to lose. Very well, let us begin." Grimmjow grinned as he began undoing his pants. He wasn't going to take his clothes off completely. That would be too much trouble putting them on later. Understanding flashed through Starrk's eyes and he undid his hakama, taking a kneeling position on the bed. That would be most practical for the perversion his fellow Espada was suggesting.

Grimmjow started with lubrication, arousing him before stretching him out. Starrk half-closed his eyes, just enjoying the sensations. He'd rarely had sex with anyone and Grimmjow was quite good at it… he groaned softly as a well lubed, large cock began pushing into his entrance. That burned for a moment but he adjusted swiftly and the size of it ensured a good stimulation to his prostate. Starrk moaned softly as that part of his body was rubbed from within…

Then the rope they had been provided with went around his neck. Starrk flinched before controlling himself. He needed to accept this… it gradually tightened, restricting his supply of air. The feeling was… intensely carnal. Starrk choked, surprised at the pleasure this was giving him. He'd known it was supposed to heighten erotic sensations but…

The pace of the mating increased and Grimmjow timed things well. When they were both close to orgasm he twisted the rope, cutting off any air to the Coyote's lungs. His body screamed at him as his chest heaved, his reiatsu raising in a desperate bid for survival. And that was what they wanted. Sexual intercourse was a time when reiatsu was automatically released. If that could be combined with a desperate urge to survive, there was a chance the collar might shatter. And if it didn't, Starrk would die. They both knew Grimmjow would continue until he was free or dead.

Freedom came first. Starrk's orgasm was possibly the best experience of his life and, at the same time, the most terrifying. At the edge of death, his body automatically took the release and amplified it, sending all his considerable might screaming through the collar. The seki-seki stone, which should have been capable of holding an advanced taichou class reiatsu, suddenly shattered. As it did Grimmjow untwisted the rope and Starrk drew a shuddering breath. He heard the man behind him gasp, felt hot release within him and gave Grimmjow just enough time to finish. Then he shoved the man off him and dragged up his pants as the first alarms began to sound.

"Come on, let's go!" He said before pausing to snap off Grimmjow's collar. With his own powers released, it was easy. The Sexta grinned at him before suddenly sobering.

"What about Halibel?" They had no idea where she was except far away. Starrk ran a hand over his forehead before sighing.

"Forget her, we have no time." It was her own fault anyway, for underestimating the two men. "Let's go." They had to get out quickly, before strong reinforcements could come.

They did that with alacrity. The weaker shinigami tried to stop them, and even some stronger ones, but the Espada were concentrating on escape. They both summoned their resurrections and tore through the guards before creating a garganta. By the time the first taichou arrived, they were long gone. The only prisoner left was Halibel, who was absolutely furious at her missed chance. Particularly since it was entirely her fault.

But who could have imagined such a brilliantly twisted method of escape?

* * *

Far away, in the sands of Hueco Mundo.

"You know, Starrk, you're a really good fuck."

"Mhm." The lanky Espada looked up at the moon, wondering where to go and what to do. 'Away' was a good start but from there…

"We should go to the mountains." Grimmjow said and that suddenly focused his attention on the other man.

"Mountains? What mountains?" He hadn't heard of that. Grimmjow shrugged and pointed. The other Espada had always possessed a natural sense of direction. In contrast, Starrk had gotten lost in Los Noches, several times.

"They're that way. They say it's where the Vasto Lorde live. I went there once, it was a cold fucking place. Felt dangerous so I left. If there were Vasto Lorde there, they ran off when Aizen came. He didn't find any. But what the hell right? It's somewhere to go. You down?" He asked and Starrk considered it.

"Why not?" He definitely wanted to stay with Grimmjow. Without Lilinette, the other Espada was all he had. And he'd always rather liked Grimmjow. They started moving, in a sonido that Grimmjow could keep up with. As they travelled the other arrancar spoke.

"So yeah, you're a good fuck. You want to do that again?" Grimmjow asked and Starrk considered it for a moment. There was something about the question…

"Are you asking me to be your mate?" A slightly more formal arrangement than simple shagging. There was a pause from the other before Grimmjow responded.

"We're all we've got in the world and I always liked you. So you know… I am. Want to be my mate, Coyote?" That made him smile and Starrk seriously considered the offer for a moment before nodding.

"I will, Jaegerjaquez." The thought of having the other man inside him again made him shiver a bit. Although… "No more scarfing." It had felt great but he wasn't interested in risking his life on a regular basis. There was a laugh beside him.

"Not unless you do it to me! Still want to try that…" Starrk chuckled as they continued moving through Hueco Mundo.

Maybe it was just the fact that they'd cheated death, but he felt better than he had in years.


	16. Puppies - part 2

Author's Note: Someone asked if Starrk looks like Grimmjow's resurrection. Yes, it's similar… but his legs won't hold him up. He normally moves on all fours and his hands are closer to paws. However, his arms and face and main body look quite human.

Starrk woke up to some very familiar scents and feminine giggling.

It was bunny-girl and peony-girl again. He yawned, not very surprised. They seemed to take endless delight in doing things to his offspring that Starrk didn't really approve of. It was harmless, though, so he usually let it slide. Blinking his eyes he glanced down benignly, looking to see what had been done to his pups.

"Why?" He sighed as he saw the bows in their hair. There were dozens of the things, yellow and pink for the girls, yellow and blue for the boy. And… "What is this?" He nudged a furless little bottom, looking at the strange little thing stuck on there.

"It's a cutie mark!" The bunny-girl squealed. It made Starrk wince a little although the pups didn't mind at all. They were used to it, by now. "It makes them cute!"

"Cuter. They were already cute." The peony-girl corrected, which Starrk appreciated. He looked at the strange thing again and decided it was harmless. It looked like balloons, which was sort of cute. Checking out the others he saw little Chiaki had stars while Aiko had apples? Strange. A quick lick assured him that he could remove the things easily, so they could stay. Smiling to himself, Starrk looked over his pups.

They had changed radically in a very short time. After three months, all of their body fur had begun falling out. That had been a miserable week, filled with sweeping and coughing. But by the end of it, they had been furless except for their heads. And then, their eyes had opened and they had really looked around for the first time.

Starrk was very pleased with the results. The naked, squirming little babies looked very shinigami if you didn't pay attention to the ears and tails. They all had chestnut hair, although Aiko's was darker than his sisters, closer to his shade than Shunsui's warmer color. All three of them had grey eyes, which was no surprise. They'd gotten that from both parents. Little Chiaki had a beauty mark on the side of her chin, which Starrk thought was very cute and helped differentiate her from Lily, who was otherwise identical to her sister.

The babies weren't crawling much yet, though, so Starrk wasn't stirring out of the den. He would stay there until the pups were ready to be out and about. Shunsui would bring him food while he took care of the young, which was exactly how things should be.

"What's this? Starrk, are you reading a book?" Peony-girl sounded surprised and Starrk lifted his head, looking sleepily at what she was holding.

"Yes. Big print helps." He said. There was something not quite right about his eyes. Smaller print was hard for him to focus on and made his head ache. The big print was much better and he could read, if he took it in small bits. Too much still made his head hurt. She looked at the book thoughtfully.

"I can see what big print books I can find for you." She offered before flipping through it and he nodded.

"Mysteries?" He loved mysteries. They were his favorites. Starrk enjoyed playing a guessing game with himself, trying to figure out what would happen. Since he could only read a bit at a time, he could let his imagination run free. "The butler did it!" He said cheerfully and they laughed. He knew that was a joke with mystery novels.

"Nanao, he's really smart isn't he?" Rabbit-girl whispered and Starrk flicked his ears in amusement, deciding not to point out that he could hear well, too. They were so silly sometimes. Peony-girl nodded.

"Yes. He's just… animalistic." She said in a low tone and Starrk frowned, wondering what that meant. It didn't sound complimentary. Then there was a very loud squall and he looked down to see that there was a little fight brewing. Lily had a hand in Aiko's hair and was making the poor boy cry, as well as pulling his bows out. Starrk quickly nuzzled them apart and guided them back to his teats. Chiaki just slept through the whole thing.

"Oh, they messed up their bows! Let's put them back in." Rabbit-girl said and Starrk watched in amusement as they made the pups pretty again. Then he sniffed and suddenly gripped little Lily, pulling her close for a thorough grooming. She loved every moment of it although peony-girl and rabbit-girl gagged a little. Starrk just ignored them. He couldn't use the diaper things so this was how he would keep his pups clean. It tasted pretty good…

Then Shunsui entered the room and Starrk looked up with a smile. He could smell food! Sure enough, there was a nice big bone for him, with plenty of meat hanging on. The pups were too young to even consider trying it but Starrk knew he would be regurgitating food for them soon. The thought made him smile. His pups would grow up big and strong, with so much good food available.

"Shunsui, did you know he's reading?" Peony-girl said and his 'master' looked at her in surprise.

"No! Really?" He sounded shocked and Starrk wondered why. Didn't he know Starrk was clever by now? "I haven't seen him do that…" Ah, maybe that was why. He was here all the time. Shunsui should have seen it, if he'd been at it long.

"Only got the book a week ago. Wolf taichou gave it to me after he saw me trying to read your desk things." Starrk said cheerfully. He'd been playing around, sitting in Shunsui's chair and trying to understand the papers. "I told him little words hurt my eyes so he found me big ones." That part was very nice, although… "Still can't read too long or my head hurts." Starrk was fairly sure that the real problem was his eyes, and the wolf-headed man thought so too. "He said I should tell nice healing woman next time I see her." Starrk planned to do that. Maybe she could fix his eyes. She couldn't fix his hands though. They'd looked at them a lot. Shunsui looked at him, his grey eyes a little wide.

"That's amazing." He murmured and Starrk flicked his ears, a touch annoyed with him. Shunsui saw that and smiled at him. "Sorry Starrk. I just didn't expect it." A hand went through his fur and Starrk forgave him instantly.

"It is fine. I love you Shunsui." He said, leaning into that caress. His 'master' laughed, although it sounded sad to his ears.

"I love you too Starrk. Now, we need to get you ready for the presentation." Shunsui said and Starrk sighed. He wasn't looking forward to that and neither was his 'master', from what he could tell. But now that they had all sniffed the pups and decided they were acceptable, Shunsui's… family? Extended pack?... wanted to see them. And the pups were old enough that Starrk didn't mind too much, as long as he was there.

"Right." Starrk said without enthusiasm before pulling himself up. Shunsui began putting the 'diaper' things on the pups. They had little holes, specially made for their tails, with elastic so the poop would stay in. They were very nice… if you had hands that could take them on and off. Starrk himself needed to wear a kimono. Nothing could help him stand upright – his legs just wouldn't do it – but the kimono would hide much of his fur and animal features.

The kimono was much grander than the white and purple one Starrk had worn before. This one was brown with light green patterns that matched the streak of green in his hair. Starrk thought it was very pretty. There was a lemon yellow obi of fine silk and Starrk gazed at it curiously for a moment before deciding he liked the contrast. It set off the rest of the outfit well.

What he really liked, though, was seeing the pups in their baby kimono's. That made him grin and beat his tail against the floor in pleasure. They looked so cute! A little blue and yellow kimono for Aiko and matching pink and yellow kimonos for Chiaki and Lily. Although…

"You did that on purpose." He said, mildly annoyed. Shunsui must have known peony-girl and bunny-girl were going to put those color bows in his pups' hair. His 'master' flashed him a smile.

"Ah, but they look adorable!" He said lightly and Starrk had to agree. Then Shunsui reached down, unhooking his collar. "Come on Starrk, let's go." He gently picked up Aiko and Chiaki while Starrk got Lily. Although he couldn't carry her like a person would. He could move around on his legs for short distances without his hands, but for long it just didn't work. So instead of using his paws, he nuzzled her around until she was in the right position, then gripped her by the scruff of her neck. The little pup went limp as she was lifted and Starrk blinked as Shunsui laughed. His 'master' was smiling down at him.

"This way." He said before taking off and Starrk followed with that banging sound. Shunsui needed him to be able to move fast today, although the collar would go back on as soon as they got where they were going. Lily squeaked in protest at the feel of air on her face, but Starrk ignored it. She was just being silly.

Soon they got to the gathering. It was being held in a very pretty place and Starrk glanced around wide-eyed. He didn't know most of what it was made out of, but he could tell it was much, much nicer than Shunsui's office and Division. The one thing that he absolutely loved were the potted trees. They were just begging for a scent marking! Starrk was tempted to lift a leg but held back. This wasn't his territory, someone might get mad. And anyway, the kimono was in the way.

There was a nice big nest all made up for him and Starrk made a muffled yip of pleasure before he deposited Lily into it. She uncurled and wiggled, looking around alertly. Shunsui chuckled and gently placed the other two pups in with him as Starrk turned around, finding a good spot. Soon he was safely ensconced and undoing his kimono a bit to let the pups nurse. A teat would keep them calm even among strange smells and strange people.

Soon many strangers started to appear. If Shunsui hadn't been with him, Starrk would have been worried. But Shunsui stayed by his side, talking to them. Starrk could tell he didn't like some of them very much but he was trying to make nice. They talked like Starrk couldn't hear or understand, though, which was very annoying.

"Why, how pretty they are! Such cute little creatures." A rather odd looking young man said. Starrk eyed him thoughtfully before deciding he looked very silly. The black stuff around his eyes had to be stuff like the peony-girl and the rabbit-girl wore, but he smelled male. "And such a… peculiar creature you had them with. I never knew your tastes ran that way, Shunsui!" Starrk laid back his ears a little. He wasn't dumb, he knew he was being insulted.

"Thank you, they are wonderful aren't they?" Shunsui said but his cheerfulness was forced. Of course, he wasn't dumb either. He knew they were being insulted too. Starrk decided to take action. If they thought he was dumb, he would say dumb things and embarrass them.

"Why you wear stuff on your face like a girl? You don't smell like a girl." Starrk said innocently and the man flushed. "Trying to make pups?" Of course, Starrk knew it didn't work like that for shinigami. He could smell that… if he mated to a female shinigami he could make pups but not the males. They weren't like him or the ones with the dust and bone smell. The man turned red as Starrk looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"What… what in the world…" He sputtered as Shunsui laughed and ran a hand through his fur. Starrk leaned into that, feeling very amused and pleased with himself.

"He doesn't always understand the current fashion trends." He said before the man sniffed and showed himself off, offended dignity in his wake. "Well done Starrk." Shunsui said with a chuckle before a pair of girls stopped to exclaim over the pups. Starrk enjoyed the attention, which reminded him a lot of peony-girl and rabbit-girl.

The rest of the evening went much like that. A lot of people were nice but to the ones who weren't, Starrk made 'innocent', embarrassing comments and questions. Shunsui laughed and gave apologies when he did that, but Starrk could tell he liked it very much. Then one very old woman stopped to talk to them.

"I can't say I'm happy about this addition to the clan, but at least their reiatsu does appear to be pure shinigami." She said as she looked over the pups. Starrk tilted his ears, not sure if he liked her or not. She smelled okay and at least she was being honest. Her gaze met his and he tentatively moved his tail, not happy but hopeful. "Hm. I'm told you know how to read." She said and Starrk blinked, glancing at Shunsui. But he looked surprised too. "Would you like this?" She offered him a scroll. It looked very sturdy, with wooden handles. Starrk tilted his head before looking at Shunsui. He wasn't sure he could unroll it.

"His hands… let me." Shunsui took it and unrolled it for him. The kanji on it were very big and Starrk could read it. It confused him though. A formal document? Although he did catch three very familiar marks.

"Pups? Members… of Kyoraku clan?" He said, trying to understand. Then he did and perked up. "Oh! Part of pack. I see." This was a declaration that the pups belonged to this pack. It was more formal than anything he'd experienced before, but it was nice. "Pretty pictures too." It was a beautiful thing with lovely calligraphy.

"Excellent." The old woman sounded pleased and Starrk wondered why. Because he'd been able to understand? "You know, Shunsui, you should take him to Unohana soon. I suspect he might need reading glasses. If I don't use mine, large print is more comfortable for me, too." Her hand went through his fur and Starrk leaned into the caress, deciding he liked her. She knew he wasn't stupid. The scroll had been a test to see how clever he could be.

Starrk got to try some very interesting food then. He usually ate meat, all kinds of meat… not just muscle meat but organs. Starrk often asked for liver, kidneys and heart, the things he knew would be good for him. And bone marrow, of course. Everything else was a treat. Today he got a plate full of treats, things that were not really good for him but tasty. The only troublesome thing was gripping the little tartlets. He finally gave up and just used his tongue and a few nudges of his paws to get them into his mouth. The taste of sweet made him beat his tail against the floor happily.

After the meal they were able to go home. Starrk took Aiko this time while Shunsui took the girls. Soon they were all settled into the den. A gentle hand ran through his fur and Starrk looked up into Shunsui's face.

"You did very well today, Starrk. I think my grandmother likes you." Shunsui said softly and Starrk beat his tail against the floor, warmed by the praise. "We'll see Unohana soon. She and Mayuri have been working on something new."

"To give me two legs again? And hands?" Starrk asked and Shunsui nodded with a small, troubled smile. "I will still love you Shunsui." He said softly, meeting his mate's eyes. Starrk knew that that was a huge concern for Shunui, for some reason. It bothered him, deeply, but he didn't know how else to assure him of his love. "I remember… click click boom… little girl with green hair… but I still love you." None of that mattered as much as how kind Shunsui was to him, how loving he was to the pups. The only thing that really bothered him was – "Don't love you rutting with other females, but I still love you." He said and heard his 'master' choke. But that was really the truth. He hated it when Shunsui came in smelling like someone else. Every time, he had to steal the kimono and rub his scent over it. The pups too, he loved draping the fabric over them and making sure their little baby scents were all over it. The stupid females should have stayed away, with that advertisement, but they never did.

"Ah Starrk, so possessive." Shunsui said with a laugh and ran a hand through his fur again. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Shunsui." Starrk said before closing his eyes and curling up with his pups. He drifted off to the feel of their little mouths on his teats, contentedly nursing.

He loved his pups and he loved Shunsui, too.

* * *

"You think this will work?" Shunsui sounded very serious as Starrk looked hopefully at the nice healing lady. He pointedly ignored the painted man.

"We're fairly sure it will. And if it fails, it will do no harm." She assured his 'master', who frowned but nodded. Starrk gripped Shunsui's clothing and pulled himself up onto his back legs for a moment. With the way his legs bent he was still shorter than Shunsui, but much taller.

"Two legs? Hands?" He said hopefully. He wanted to have hands again. That would be wonderful. Then he wobbled and had to let go before he yanked too hard on Shunsui. Falling back onto his haunches he kept looking at the nice healing woman. She gave him a gentle smile.

"Yes Starrk. If this works, you will have hands." She said and he panted in excitement. "However, you will only be able to maintain them for a few hours at a time. Then you will have to let your power rebuild." She explained and he nodded. Even hands for just a few hours… and would Shunsui mate with him again, if he had two legs and hands? Starrk wanted that. Not for more pups, but just because he wanted to be with Shunsui. And to keep those stupid females away. Maybe if Shunsui had the scent of his rutting on him, they would finally get the hint!

"Let us begin!" The painted man said and Starrk growled, but obediently went forward when the nice healing lady gestured to him. He had to sit in an odd little tube thing. Starrk closed his eyes, just staying calm as he heard the equipment doing something. It made him remember the pain he'd suffered, so long ago… but Shunsui was here. Nothing bad would happen when Shunsui was here.

And nothing bad did happen. Starrk's ears perked up as he felt something… strange. It felt like the machine was trying to do something deep inside him. He whimpered a bit, shivering slightly as it kept going on. It felt uncomfortable…

Finally there was that strange sense of snapping inside his mind. Starrk blinked and lurched, finding himself on two legs and… what had he been thinking?

"Shunsui?" He murmured, resting a hand against the glass. A hand, not an animal-like paw. "Ah." Grey eyes darkened as he suddenly remembered. The clarity of his memories was terribly painful. "Lilinette…" But she was gone. All that remained of her was the green in his hair. The door to the tube opened and he almost fell out, briefly overwhelmed by the memories. Warm arms went around him and Starrk looked up into concerned grey eyes.

"Starrk…" Shunsui sounded so guilty. Very briefly, Starrk wanted to yell at him. Ask him why he'd been spared, when his other half was gone. But that urge faded as quickly as it came, overwhelmed by all the memories of kind caresses, big bones and thrown balls.

"Shunsui." He returned the man's hug, feeling him stiffen in surprise. "Listen. I don't think I have much time." A few hours? No, not yet anyway. He had a few minutes. "I've been so happy. Living as your pet… this has been the best time of my life." He pulled back to look into Shunsui's face. He was looking stunned, shocked by what he was hearing. "I had no real friends in Los Noches. Comrades, yes, but they were all afraid of my power and distant at best. Aizen… you saw how much he valued us, in the end." Starrk still felt a sharp pain at the thought. He'd fought so hard, so incredibly hard… and when he was defeated, Aizen hadn't even spared him a glance. Shunsui had given his fall more dignity than the man who should have cared the most. "Please, don't regret this. I am so happy to be with you." He said sincerely and hugged Shunsui again. He was hugged back, even harder this time.

"Starrk, I… I'm so sorry, for what happened to you. I should have checked." Shunsui said, his voice thick. Starrk just listened, not contradicting, not yet. "You fought me bravely, with honor. You deserved better than that. Kami, I'm sorry."

"Shhh. Don't be sorry." Starrk whispered back, reaching up to caress his cheek. "You've been so kind to me. I love you, Shunsui." He still felt that, with all his heart. "Never doubt that I love you." And with that, the stability of his power ran out.

The snapping feeling happened again and his body slipped back to his more doglike form. But Starrk remembered… remembered the moment of clarity, of more human thoughts and emotions. Shunsui's arms tightened around him for a moment before he let go and Starrk whined, his ears going down with disappointment. He'd hoped they might mate again. But he'd known, as they talked, that there was just no time.

"Oh dear. It seems we'll have to work on stabilizing it more." The painted man said, checking over his equipment. The nice healing woman was watching them both, a small, sad smile on her face.

"Did that help, Kyoraku?" She asked and Shunsui nodded, a bit speechless. Starrk looked at him worriedly as he wiped his eyes. Had he been affected that much? He'd never cried before, when Starrk said he loved him. It must have meant more because he'd known Starrk's mind was working right. "Here…" She knelt beside him and snapped his collar back in place. They'd needed to take it off for the tube to work. "Don't worry. This is a breakthrough. Eventually, we'll stabilize it and hopefully help him make the shift himself." She assured them both and Starrk nodded. He knew that was what they wanted, to teach him to take that two leg form for a while.

"Shunsui? Can we go home to pups?" Starrk asked, tugging on his hakama. He wanted to get back to his puppies. Peony-girl and rabbit-girl were watching them, which probably meant they would be put in something silly and frilly by the time they got back. Or maybe they would take the pups around to the whole Division and they would find them in the practice yard or the mess hall. Starrk didn't mind. He trusted peony-girl and rabbit-girl to take care of them. Shunsui nodded, smiling softly and gently running a hand through his fur.

"Yes Starrk. Let's go home." He said and Starrk nuzzled him lovingly for a moment.

Maybe now, Shunsui would really believe that he loved him.


	17. AU - Submissives and Dominants

Starrk looked over the gathering in front of him with carefully concealed anger and disdain.

He was hovering near the edges of the incredibly upscale ball, acting as a wallflower. Not because that was his nature – it wasn't – but because those were his orders. And there would be consequences to disobedience.

Starrk was a submissive. In Soul Society, the powerful were divided into dominants and submissives. Dominants were common, submissives were not. And only submissives could bear children to dominants. They also gave a dominant a feeling of completion, when he could find a submissive that perfectly suited his hormones and pheromones.

Starrk hadn't known why he'd been scooped up off the streets by a crime lord. He'd been a good enough hand with a knife and a decent thief, but that hadn't been why he'd been taken. Starrk had deeply resented being used as a sexual toy. The fool had underestimated him and before the month was over, Starrk had gotten a knife between his ribs. Of course, that crime lord had been a dominant. He'd known what Starrk was and had wanted to force him into compliance.

It had been another five years before he'd been found by an agent of the Seireitei. In that time, he'd become a feared assassin. Cold as ice, elusive as a shadow, deadly as an unsheathed blade. He'd hated it. It had started when the associates of that crime lord had tried to bring him down. Starrk had been forced to become deadly and had inadvertently taught himself the assassin's trade, getting a reputation in the process. After that, it had come naturally to kill more and more. But he had never, ever liked it.

So when an absolutely shocked agent of the Seireitei had detected him and proclaimed him a submissive, Starrk had… submitted. He'd gone with her to the Academy, where more and more people checked him over and over. They simply couldn't believe he was a genuine submissive, but pheromones did not lie. With no choice, they had finally inducted him into the Academy.

At first, Starrk thought it was a good deal. Free food and lodgings and plenty of wonderful places to sleep. But the downside emerged immediately. He was old, far too old. Only eighteen, but most submissives were identified as mere children. They were taken from their families and raised in the Academy grounds, before being started on classes. High court etiquette training started from a very young age. Compared to them, Starrk was completely uncouth. And being put in classes with ten year olds was mortifying!

This, though, was worse. The crown prince was looking for a submissive to share his life with. Apparently, he'd been looking for a very long time but now the King was in very poor health so he'd ramped up his search. Every eligible submissive had been called to this ball, no exceptions. And eligibility was based on age, so Starrk had been required to attend. His very basic etiquette lessons had in no way prepared him for the King's court, so he'd been instructed to stay out of the way and say as little as possible. If he disobeyed, there would be punishments. It angered him but there was very little he could do.

Picking up a glass of alcohol, Starrk sipped it as he paid careful attention to his surroundings. There was a moment of distraction, a point where no one was looking at him. He used that moment to vanish, disappearing into the gardens. That was also against his instructions… The King and crown prince wanted all eligible submissives present, not fiddling in the gardens. It was unlikely anyone would notice his absence, though, and he was hardly eligible anyway. What noble would want someone like him? He would probably end up paired with one of the non-noble dominants who made up the majority of the Gotei 13.

Starrk frowned and considered his options as he wandered through the gardens. Maybe he should just run away and go back to his old life. But… submissives were very rare. It was all too likely they would attempt to hunt him down. And really, being an assassin in the Rukongai was not a life he enjoyed. It just seemed that he enjoyed this even less…

Starrk blinked as his senses registered the faint sound of sword against sword. It sounded strangely muffled and he frowned, setting down his wine glass on the grass before venturing into an ornamental maze. Was someone using a muffling kido? Starrk had not been taught any kido, but he'd learned to control his innate powers long ago. Submissives were just as powerful as dominants. When a true partnership was formed, a submissive would fight beside their dominant.

Starrk quickly found the source of the sounds and carefully concealed himself in the shadows, looking at the scene in front of him with dead, emotionless eyes. It was one against three. The one was clearly an invitee to this ball… he was wearing a very fine, formal kimono that hampered his movements slightly. Still, the two swords he was using flashed with skill and grace. His opponents, by contrast, clearly did not belong. They were assassins, wearing the kind of black garb that was very familiar to Starrk. It was simply practical and he'd often worn something similar.

For a moment, he considered just walking away. This was not his fight and this man was a stranger to him. But then something… moved him. Perhaps it was a scent in the breeze. Perhaps it was the skill with which the man fought. Perhaps it was something about his appearance. But Starrk was moved to intervene. Reaching into his own kimono, he found the knife he'd carefully hidden, strapped to his leg. If that was found his punishment would be severe, but he never went without it. Survival was too ingrained in him to even consider it.

"Wolf stalks from the shadows." He whispered before ducking into the shadow. Until he was identified by the Academy, he'd thought he was a particularly powerful dominant. But submissives tended to be more powerful than dominants, when they could use it effectively. And this was his power.

One of the men lurched with a scream, muffled courtesy of the kido, as Starrk emerged from his own shadow to stab him in the back. The other combatants were shocked and Starrk used that to his advantage. His blade flashed in a deadly dance as he engaged one of the others. He was at a slight disadvantage, knife to sword, and his formal kimono did not help. But then Starrk summoned his other power, meeting the man's eyes.

_I am going to kill you._ His power promised, a deadly whisper. It filled his grey eyes, the knowledge and absolute certainty of the other man's mortality. _You are going to die._ Starrk had encountered very few people who could feel that conviction and not be rattled. This man was not one of them. He began to show signs of fear, his swordplay suffering against his terrifying opponent.

The man stepped backwards and tripped over a root on the ground. Starrk took advantage of that tiny lapse and his blade went home, slicing through the jugular. He leapt away in time to avoid being splattered by blood and watched in grim satisfaction as the body collapsed. There was a wet, bubbling scream as the third assassin died, impaled by the man he was facing. Then Starrk knelt, wiping off his blade before resheathing it. He needed to –

A hand came down heavily on his shoulder and if Starrk had been holding his knife, he might have done something unfortunate. As it was, he reacted with a sharp blow to the stranger's wrist before rolling away, coming up in a fighting stance. That instinctive reaction quickly turned embarrassing, though, as he recognized the man he'd saved. He was holding his wrist now and looking at him in shock.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Starrk said before straightening. His voice sounded normal now. Clearly the silencing kido had been broken. "I'm, um, not used to fighting with anyone else." That was an understatement. Pausing, Starrk really examined the man in front of him for the first time.

He was a handsome man. Tall, well built, he had a thin but well-kept beard. His hair was long and in a rather flattering style, to Starrk's eyes. His kimono was extremely expensive and he wore it well, which put the young submissive a bit on guard. This was a high noble, if he was any judge.

He wasn't the only one doing examining, though. And from the look on the others face, he was quite puzzled by what was in front of him.

"I'm… sorry… are you a submissive?" He asked and Starrk sighed to himself. He knew why the man was asking. His kimono was incredibly plain compared to the man in front of him. Virginal submissives would wear white, but Starrk was not entitled to that. Instead, his kimono was the ivory color that indicated he'd been tainted yet was still a possible prospect. It was Academy issue and really quite boring, unlike what most of the other submissives wore.

"Yes. My apologies if that offends you." He said briefly and the other man lifted his eyebrows, his lips beginning to quirk in amusement. "Now, forgive me but I must go." If he didn't get back to the ball soon, someone was likely to notice his absence. And while Starrk could easily bear a whipping, he didn't really seek them out.

"Wait – " Starrk ignored that, melting back into the shadows before taking off in a graceful lope. Pausing at the ballroom doors, he evaluated the situation again. When there was a good moment, he reinserted himself into the crowd. With that done, he found another glass of wine and went back to his wallflower duties.

No doubt he would never see that man again.

* * *

"…What in hell's name was that?" Kyoraku Shunsui wondered aloud before glancing over the bodies of his assassins. "…Hm." Scratching his neck, he shrugged before going to find a guard to clean up the mess. "Bit of a shame, really." He'd have preferred to take one of them alive. But his little helper had clearly not thought of that.

Shunsui had been expecting an attempt on his life. He'd even been planning on it… this was a bit of entrapment, an effort to find who was behind certain plots. Sighing to himself, he shook his head. That submissive had ruined it, a bit. Shunsui really had been planning to take one of them alive for questioning.

He really didn't regret it, though. Smiling to himself, he left the guards to their cleanup duties. Soon no one would have any idea anything had happened in that hedge maze. Then he made his way back to the ball.

"Did it work?" Juushiro said in an undertone as he took his seat on the dais. Shunsui sighed before responding.

"A touch too well. None of them survived. It doesn't – ah." The first of the submissives were being led up and Shunsui had to hold back a groan.

Very powerful dominants rarely took submissives. It was just so hard, to find one that was suitable. They had complained to the Academy many times, but the problem was divergent expectations. A dominant with dangerous duties, like himself, needed a submissive they could count on to hold their back. However, noble houses required something quite different from their submissives. They wanted submissives to be sweet, compliant little broodmares. And overall, the noble houses had prevailed when it came to Academy classes. So almost all the taichou of the Gotei 13 remained unmated.

That made life especially hard on the powerful dominants who were also high nobles. Some, like Byakuya, settled for unsuitable mates to meet their expectations. Shunsui really didn't want to settle but now that Yamamoto was showing signs of ill health, he really needed a submissive, despite not wanting any of them… well, except one.

Shunsui politely greeted all the submissives brought to him, but dismissed them quickly. He felt Juushiro's eyes on him, felt the concern of his advisors, but he was waiting for one in particular. Would they save him for the very last?

That was exactly what they did. The old puss bringing the boy to him was gracious enough but beneath that he could tell she wanted to minimize the lad as much as possible. That sharpened his interest even more and he smiled as he saw a horrified expression flit over the boy's face as he recognized the man he'd met in the garden. It was quickly controlled, but not quite fast enough.

"Your highness, this is Coyote Starrk." She said and Starrk bowed. To Shunsui's eyes it was slightly awkward, a courtesy that did not come naturally.

"Charmed." He said and the woman gripped the boy's arm to lead him away but Shunsui's frown stopped her in her tracks. "I would like to speak to him further." He reproved her and she hesitated before letting go of the boy's arm. "Tell me, have you mastered your zanpakuto yet?" He asked and the young man shook his head, his gaze on the floor. "You have no idea of your power?" If Starrk said that he'd be a liar. Shunsui knew it and Starrk knew that he knew it.

"He is only a first year student." The woman said stiffly and Shunsui lifted his eyebrows at the information. The young man was clearly an adult. How in Hades had that happened? "He has not even entered the zanpakuto classes."

"I would like to speak to him." Shunsui said, his tone cool. She took the warning, although she did not like it. "Starrk?" He wanted an answer. The young man looked up from the floor and Shunsui was surprised by the cold anger in his eyes.

"I am the wolf that hides from the shadows and kills without mercy. Then I howl at the moon, to give voice to my regret." The young man's voice was rough with anger. "What power do you own?" He demanded and a sudden silence fell at the blunt challenge. Shunsui smiled, meeting those grey eyes squarely.

"I have many powers… but I own one that is much the same. The ogre that hides in the shadows and kills the unwary." He said softly and saw a bit of uncertainty flicker across that young face. He was so very, very young to be so hardened. "But I have more powers than that. You will too, when you master your zanpakuto. Have you heard his voice?" He asked and the young man nodded.

"Her voice. She whispers to me in my dreams." He said, the anger mostly gone from his voice and attitude. Shunsui knew they were not following the proper courtly courtesies at all, but he did not care. As the prince, he could dispense with such things. "She sounds like a young girl… sometimes, she laughs at me." He admitted with a small blush and Shunsui smiled, enchanted.

"My zanpakuto laughs at me too, all the time." He said, feeling captivated. Grey eyes met grey again and he felt the spark between them. Yes, he was interested in this one. "Thank you, Coyote Starrk. I'm very glad to have met you." Shunsui wasn't going to make a decision tonight. He would have to discuss the matter with his advisors and of course, Yamamoto. But in his own mind the decision had already been made.

He watched as the old woman led the boy away and smiled to himself. This one would be his.

* * *

Starrk hissed in pain and squirmed, trying to find a more comfortable position in his bonds. Then he gave up. This was designed to be uncomfortable and he would just have to live with it.

He was waiting for his whipping. As soon as he'd responded to Shunsui, he knew a punishment was coming. He'd been too frank, too informal. The fact that the prince had responded in kind would not make a slight bit of difference. The painful grip his chaperone had on his arm when she dragged him away had made that clear.

"Coyote Starrk." That was the headmaster of the Academy. Starrk lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. The man was a dominant, but an elderly one. He regarded the young man in front of him like he was an unsavory insect. "You have disgraced us all with your conduct." He said sternly. Starrk just stared, waiting. "You are hereby sentenced to thirty lashes, followed by a bath of tenseri water."

"What?!" Starrk breathed, disbelieving. "You must be – mph!" A silencing kido went over him and he writhed, trying to break free of the black leather. Had they lost their minds? Thirty lashes was the kind of sentence a deserter or a violent thief might receive. He'd expected ten at the most! And what was tenseri water? He'd never heard of that at all.

The master of arms was the one to hold the whip. If the woman felt any compassion for him she didn't show it. Every blow was strong and the whip was tipped in metal. Starrk was bleeding by the fifth blow. By the tenth, he was sagging in his bonds. But the twenty-third, he was unconscious, his blood flowing freely from his back. After the thirtieth blow, something cold and wet was doused over his back.

Starrk woke up violently, his mouth opening in a soundless scream as the dark blue liquid burned him like acid. It was like salt in the wounds, only worse… he bent over as much as he could and vomited, heaving violently at the unbelievable pain.

_All this for talking honestly?_ Starrk thought, dazed, and blinked as he gazed at the mess in front of him. _…I have to get out of here._ This was over. His dreams of graduating and finding a mate, someone in the Gotei 13 who would appreciate his blade, were done. Vaguely, as they began removing him from the restraints, he realized he'd been a fool to even think it. Seduced by his 'special' nature as a submissive, he'd forgotten the brutal truth… that he was still a child of the Rukongai, a tainted, bitter fruit of the unclean streets.

He was nothing but trash to them. When and if he recovered from his wounds, he would escape.

* * *

For a while, Starrk thought he would die from the whipping he had received.

He was brought to one of the confinement rooms. That was a fairly common punishment for an erring submissive… being locked inside one of those rooms for a day or two. Meals were pushed into the room through a slot under the door, and the empty dishes were pushed out the same way. Ditto for the chamber pots. Often punishment rooms had a window, but not this one. All he had for his needs was the bed and a candle, along with some tapers to light it.

Almost immediately, several of the open wounds on his back took an infection. Starrk was grimly certain that fluid they'd doused him with had something to do with it. However, he knew how to handle such things. They provided him with cutlery to eat his meals with, and the knife wasn't sharp but it could be heated over the candle. The process of lancing the pus filled wounds on his back was painful, but necessary. Starrk knew the scars would last forever, but he was determined not to die. He was a survivor.

Once the infection went down, his body began to mend swiftly. That was not a surprise. His level of innate power assured quick healing. But then something happened that quietly enraged him.

Starrk was being fed nothing but white rice and water, with a tiny bit of fish and pickled vegetables. That took care of his physical needs, even if it was very monotonous. Tonight, though, there was something wrong with is food. Starrk cautiously nibbled a bit of fish before spitting it out. Narrowing his eyes to slits, he delicately licked the bowl, trying to isolate the flavor.

As an assassin, he knew dozens of poisons. And one of his abilities, one he'd used on many occasions, was the ability to detect any taint with a simple flick of his tongue. The poison someone had mixed into his food was one meant to mimic a natural death. If he ate it, Starrk knew he would suffer violent stomach cramps followed by convulsions and death. It would look like food poisoning, if no one cared to check. Lifting his lip in a silent snarl of rage, he looked at the food.

"So." He whispered the word, his eyes cold as he tightened his grip on the utensils. "…Hm." He carefully tested the water and was relieved to find it was untainted. A wicked smile crossed his face. Instead of eating the food he dumped it into the chamber pot before pushing out the dishes. Then he settled in to wait.

Eventually, someone would come to collect his body. And then he would be ready.

* * *

Shunsui had been very busy all week.

He'd spent it consulting with his advisors, trying to determine the best thing to do with this young submissive. Coyote Starrk posed an interesting problem. While he was old enough to be claimed, he hadn't completed the Academy. All of his advisors – many of whom were his fellow taichou – knew how long he'd been searching for a submissive. While many of them were uneasy about the delay, most thought he should give the young man the years necessary to finish his schooling in court etiquette. The skill of battle, he already had.

Yamamoto, though, wanted something more. Ailing or not, he wanted to meet and speak to the submissive Shunsui was contemplating mating with. So Shunsui and Juushiro went to the Academy to collect the youngster. They didn't bother to send word ahead. After all, where else would Coyote Starrk be?

That made the reaction when they arrived especially interesting.

"I'm afraid he's indisposed." One of the instructors apologized to him. But there was something strange in her tone and her eyes flitted away in a way Juushiro and Shunsui both interpreted as guilty.

"Really? That seems odd. He seemed like a very strong young man." Shunsui said easily but Juushiro could hear the undercurrent of concern. "When do you think he'll be available?" The woman opened her mouth but then hesitated a moment before finally speaking.

"At least a week. His… his injuries were severe." She'd lowered her voice now and the guilt was more pronounced. Shunsui frowned, leaning forward a bit and dropping his voice.

"Injuries? What happened?" He questioned and she licked her lips before continuing.

"It's the harshest punishment I've ever seen, highness. After the… the ball, when he disobeyed the headmaster, he was whipped." She said and Juushiro exchanged a glance with Shunsui. Shunsui was frowning but Juushiro remembered the way the young man had bluntly challenged the crown prince. After that a small whipping would be – "Thirty strokes and that horrible blue stuff afterwards…"

"Thirty?!" Shunsui sounded horrified and Juushiro swallowed, shocked. He'd seen deserters get less than that. "Wait… do you mean a rattan wand?" That would be painful but much less damaging than a real whip. But the girl shook her head.

"A man's whip." She whispered and Juushiro felt sick. That was like – like cutting someone's arm off for stealing an apple! "He's been in confinement since. I don't think they gave him any kido healing… he's alive, that's all I know." She was clearly very distressed by the treatment of her pupil. But… "Please, sir, you didn't hear this from me?" She wrung her hands together and Shunsui took a deep breath before patting her on the shoulder.

"I heard nothing from you. Where is he being kept?" He asked and with a few directions under their belts, they went to collect the young man. "We're not leaving him here." Shunsui said, anger resonating through his voice. Juushiro nodded.

"No, we can't. It must be the noble houses. They must have realized…" He said and saw Shunsui's jaw tighten. They must have realized how taken Shunsui was with the young man and were taking steps to ensure it would never, ever come to anything. "If we don't get him out of here they'll take more direct action." He was sure of it. Coyote Starrk's life was in deadly danger.

"This is the room." Shunsui said before working on breaking the locking kido. With that done, he opened the door and stepped inside –

And a pottery jug shattered over his head. Shunsui went down in a heap and Juushiro had to protect himself from a flurry of blows. He managed it and heard a curse, saw furious grey eyes before the young submissive suddenly broke off and went sprinting past him.

"Stop!" He engaged his shunpo, trying to catch the boy. He was very good for someone completely untrained, but that wasn't enough to evade a taichou. He caught the lad by his waist and brought him down, pinning him. It wasn't easy but the boy was clearly weakened from his injuries and recovery. "We're here to help you." He pleaded and the boy just glared at him, hostility in every line of his body.

"Oh sweet kami my head…" Shunsui came stumbling up behind him and the lad under Juushiro suddenly stiffened as he recognized his face. "What did you do that for?" He asked plaintively and Starrk squirmed.

"I need to get out of here. They're trying to kill me." He said shortly and Juushiro blinked. How could the young man know - ? "My food was poisoned. I helped you, let me go. I'm going back to the Rukongai."

"The food was…" Juushiro swallowed. The noble houses had moved swiftly to eliminate the competition. "How did you know?" He asked and Starrk frowned at him before answering.

"I can detect all poisons and potions." He said and Juushiro glanced up, meeting Shunsui's gaze. He knew they were both thinking the same thing… that was a power beyond price for the consort of a king.

"Sweet kami, this is fate." Shunsui murmured and Juushiro was inclined to agree. This submissive would be the perfect partner for his friend. Starrk laughed, though, and it was ragged and angry.

"My fate to die horribly? I'm sure, but not just yet. Let me get out of here." He said and Juushiro realized he didn't understand. But then, how could he?

"Starrk, we're here to take you to the palace to meet the Soutaichou." Shunsui said soothingly and Starrk frowned as Juushiro let him up. "And now that we know what's going on here, you won't be coming back. We'll get you private tutors." That was unusual but could be done. "And some lessons at the dominant Academy." Their classes on fighting and kido were much better than what the submissive Academy offered anyway. That made Starrk look at them in confusion.

"Why would you bother?" He asked and Juushiro could only smile. He was so adorably innocent. Shunsui laughed, taking his hands.

"Starrk, I want you to be my consort." He said sincerely and they both saw the young man's eyes widen. "You are perfect. You're trained as an assassin, you can detect poisons, you have such power and skill…"

"But… I'm not a noble… I don't know how to act…" Starrk protested and Shunsui laughed.

"We can teach you that." He promised, reaching out to cup the young submissive's cheek. Their eyes met and even Juushiro could feel the intense connection between them. "What we can't teach someone else is your inner strength. I know you've had a hard, difficult life, but that's what's made you into what I need. Please trust me Starrk. I need you." Shunsui meant it. He meant it with all his heard and Starrk could see that. The young man swallowed before nodding.

"I'll come with you." He whispered and Juushiro smiled as he watched them hug. He watched their backs as they left the Academy. Several people saw them and he spotted some horrified looks, but no one dared stop them. He made a note to have the submissive Academy investigated, and soon. Maybe they could finally break the stranglehold the nobles had on it, and get the submissives educated properly.

The taichou of the Gotei 13 deserved to have mates.


	18. From Defeat

Author's Note: Someone requested a dominant!Starrk fic, so here we go. He's going to be a bit of an asshole at first but there's a reason… and woo, I was going to write more of this but it's too long already!

Starrk smiled to himself as he stretched out on his cushions. His gaze caught the glitter of metal and he reached out with a small, pleased hum, gently touching the skin-warmed links of silver. The man wearing the adornment didn't stir, lost in a sleep so deep not even an earthquake would have awakened him. Starrk smiled as he looked into Kyoraku Shunsui's face. He could still remember how he'd defeated the man…

_All through the battle, Coyote Starrk had been waiting for just the right time._

_Wonderweiss' attack had come before he'd found a good place to use it. And his little trick was useless against the two Visored. Barragan's death had disheartened him, but only briefly. It wasn't like he'd liked the old bastard anyway._

_After he'd defeated the Visored, it had been Shunsui again. And the perfect moment had come._

"_Black." The man said, his gaze stern but sad as he prepared to end the arrancar's life. And Starrk felt a single moment of wicked triumph as he'd unleashed the full force of his reiatsu._

_It was like a tornado, a tsunami. No other reiatsu driven effect could exist in that sphere and Shunsui's shikai was no exception. Starrk took the blow across his chest, seeing Shunsui's eyes go wide as the sword bit in but not enough, never enough. Ignoring the pain – it did hurt quite a bit – Starrk attacked, taking the shinigami completely by surprise._

"_You are defeated." He said calmly, both his swords firmly pressed against the shinigami's throat. A few droplets of blood slid down that tanned skin, to his pleasure. "Aizen wants you alive, but I will kill you if you refuse." Aizen had made it clear that he wanted this shinigami breathing but would take him dead if necessary. "Drop your weapons." Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment, struggling with himself. Then he opened his hands and let his swords fall free. "Wonderweiss!" He had something…_

"_Maaah!" The odd arrancar did what he'd been told and locked a black collar around Kyoraku's throat. Starrk had to yank his swords away before catching the man, as his reiatsu was completely sealed. He gently carried the man down to the roof of the building where his stricken friend lay. From the look of him, he might be dying. Starrk didn't really care. Leaving the two men together, he went to see what else Aizen might want of him._

_His power was mostly drained now, but he might still be of some use._

* * *

Starrk smiled dreamily at that pleasant memory. His moment of victory, and victory had been sweet. Of course, what had come afterwards had been even sweeter. He'd never expected Aizen to give them the surviving taichou as slaves, playthings and sexual servants.

Starrk's gaze travelled to his other side, the form curled up in the cushions there. Ise Nanao was a beautiful woman, and more beautiful when she was wearing exactly nothing. Starrk kept his rooms quite warm, so blankets were unnecessary. And his pets were never clothed, when he was done with them.

Starrk wasn't entirely sure how Szayel had modified them, but the results were interesting. Starrk had a mental link to his pets now. He could monitor all of their feelings, know where they were, and issue any orders with absolute certainty of being obeyed. Also, Nanao had been modified to be a form of Visored. The hollow energies she'd been infused with had made her strong enough to tolerate Starrk's reiatsu during sex. That was lovely… otherwise, he'd have been confined to males. And Starrk eventually wanted to get some pups out of this. Shunsui was wonderful but woefully lacking in the pup making area.

Better yet, somehow Szayel had made them particularly sensitive to his pheromones. Starrk would never have thought of that himself… when hollows wanted to mate, they unleashed a particular pheromone in the air. Other hollows found it slightly arousing although it wasn't enough to overcome a firm refusal. With their added sensitivity, though, he only had to unleash it to cause them both intense arousal. The sight of Shunsui's body in such a state was beautiful. And the way Nanao would pant and grip a cushion… just the thought made his organ stir.

Of course, they both resented him, deeply, for their condition of enslavement. Starrk didn't particularly care though. The taste of their despair, hate and painful resignation was like honey on his tongue. Sometimes, it disturbed him that he enjoyed it so much. But most of the time he just let himself savor it, the proof of his absolute victory. Along with their bodies, of course. He couldn't get enough of those.

"Yo, sexaholics!" Lilinette opened the door to the room as Starrk sighed and pushed himself up on one elbow. "Breakfast is served. Eat or don't eat, I don't care." She scowled at them all before leaving in a huff. Starrk just ignored her disgruntlement. She was jealous of his attentions, but she couldn't do for him the kinds of things his slaves could. Turning his attention to his two consorts, he considered whether or not he should wake them. But if he didn't, they would be quite hungry by the time supper was served. Typically, they ate only two meals, although they were large ones.

"Wake up." He whispered in Shunsui's ear, using his connection to the man to drag him to consciousness. Grey eyes opened, gazing at the ceiling blankly for a moment before turning to him. Starrk began to slowly nibble along his collarbone, feeling his organ more than stir. Ah, he desperately wanted an early morning frolic. There was a groan from the man beside him as just a teasing hint of pheromones touched the air.

"Starrk, I'm not a young man anymore…" The usual, slightly desperate protest. Starrk chuckled, pulling back to meet those grey eyes.

"You always say that and yet, you seem to perform well." He said teasingly, reaching down to touch that firming flesh. Then he allowed his pheromones to drift out, a cloud of lust and need. Behind him he heard a sleeping Nanao whimper and gently tugged her into wakefulness. She could watch. Shunsui groaned, his head falling back as his body betrayed him and came to full stiffness.

"Sweet kami…" Shunsui breathed and Starrk could feel his unwilling lust. The taste of it raised his own desires to an inferno and he licked his lips before deciding he wanted the man inside him. Reaching for the bottle of lube – it had slid under a pillow, annoying – and began coating Shunsui's cock with it. That made the shinigami's breath catch for a moment, because he knew what it meant. He would be the one going inside today and Starrk felt the lust from his slave intensify. Shunsui preferred that, on the few occasions Starrk let him pick.

His breathing coming quickly in excitement, Starrk positioned himself on his hands and knees, mutely demanding that his slave satisfy him. There was a shaky, indrawn breath behind him and Starrk glanced at Nanao, smiling as he saw the look on her face. He'd learned one thing about her, in the time he'd had her… she loved seeing two men having sex. The sight of them fucking aroused her, beyond what even his pheromones could do.

Then Shunsui took him in one firm, brutal thrust and Starrk cried out at the rough penetration. Not in pain, but pleasure. That was how he liked it… The shinigami set a punishing pace, taking him hard and fast. Big hands gripped his hips as the cock inside him found his prostate, making his erection weep small droplets of pre-cum. Starrk savored the feeling, the sensation of being taken so roughly. Shunsui knew he couldn't hurt him, but he wanted to. Starrk could feel that in the shinigami's mind and it made him groan, his erection growing even harder. He loved that frustrated rage, coming out in those hard, fast thrusts.

The brutal pace of their coupling could not be sustained for long. Shunsui reached under him, gripping his cock and jerking him off with a grip that was just short of painful. Starrk thrust violently into those hands, meeting every push into his body with intense enthusiasm. He could hear Shunsui's breathing coming raggedly and knew the end was approaching.

"Shunsui!" Starrk cried out, his hands digging into the pillow. "Yes!" The heat coiling in his belly abruptly snapped and he flung his head back, closing his eyes as the ecstasy took him. He heard Shunsui's voice rising in passion, felt that rock hard member erupting, filling him with hot seed. Starrk relished every moment of it. What could be better than this?

Well, one thing could. Starrk looked at Nanao, smiling at the expression on her face, the dusting of pink on her cheeks. Shunsui pulled away from him with a soft, wet sound and Starrk crawled towards her. She swallowed as she looked down at him, meeting his eyes. He smiled slowly at her before parting her legs, gripping her thighs in big hands. He regarded her sex for a moment, the pink petals already covered in dew. It looked very inviting.

Nanao cried out softly as he slowly dragged his tongue through those tender folds. He paused on her little button of flesh, gently sucking that sweet point. She whimpered, her hands fisting in his hair as he pleasured her. Her body writhed against his mouth as she made such delicious sounds… Starrk found it absolutely enchanting. She was too caught up in the experience to even hate him. Everything she had was centred on what was happening between her legs. She would hate them both later, of course, but Starrk couldn't care less about that.

Starrk gripped her hips, keeping her pinned as he continued to please her. She finally came with a soft moan, her hands tightening in his hair as her body trembled and shuddered. He enjoyed the taste of her release, the sweet feminine scent that was Nanao. Beneath it lay something else, a scent of bone and dust that screamed _hollow_ to his senses. He breathed it in, feeling his cock stiffening again. He wanted to just mount her and take her but…

"Who do you want, Nanao-chan?" He said huskily as he pulled back, licking her fluids off his lips. Their eyes met and she shuddered with desire as she realized she was being given a choice.

"Shunsui." She said, her voice weak with desire. Starrk smiled and glanced towards his other slave. Shunsui was staring at them and Starrk dropped his gaze, easily spotting the erection he was sporting. For an 'old man' the shinigami never seemed to have trouble when Nanao said his name.

"You're wanted, Kyoraku." He said teasingly before leaving her to watch. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing hard before going to join the woman who wanted him. Starrk could feel their genuine desire through the link, the passion that the coupling brought them. He didn't think they had been lovers before they'd been given to him, but there had been a spark between them. Forced together the way they were, that spark had roused to an inferno.

Starrk watched as Shunsui slid into Nanao's body, hearing her beautiful cry of pleasure, the way her body seemed to wrap around him, the expression of bliss on her lovely face. If he'd been a different sort of arrancar, he might have been jealous and forced them apart. Some Espada wanted their pets' attention completely on them, undivided, but Starrk wasn't like that. No, he loved seeing the two of them together, drinking in their feelings for each other. His broken, empty heart was like dry earth, soaking up the rain of their emotions, good and bad.

As his pets mated, Starrk slid a hand over his own erection. He watched greedily as Shunsui whispered something in Nanao's ear, making her whimper and arch, her body trembling as he continued thrusting powerfully into her slender frame. Starrk spread his legs a little, playing with his own balls as he increased the speed of his strokes on his cock. This was all so good…

It took longer for Shunsui and Nanao to reach their climax. The pace was not as frantic and they were both trying to draw it out, kissing and showing each other the kind of tenderness Shunsui never gave Starrk. Not that he would want it. On the rare occasions he allowed the shinigami into his body, he wanted it to hurt. This was quite the opposite…

Starrk timed his own pleasure to match theirs. He groaned as his orgasm came over him, coating his hand in seed and splashing the floor and the pillows. As the two of them lay together, trembling and overcome, he licked his lips. Maybe he could –

Scream like a little girl when a bucket of ice water was dumped over his head.

"Food Starrk! FOOD! Eat it!" Then a bucket hit in him the head, knocking him down and making him yelp. Lilinette followed it with a well-placed boot to the rear. "Now stop fucking and EAT you dumb bastard!" She looked them all over and sniffed before leaving the room in a huff. Starrk groaned, then looked up at a choked giggle. Nanao and Shunsui were both looking at him. Nanao had a hand over her mouth and Shunsui's lips were twitching.

"You can laugh. I'm used to it." He said and that was all they needed to burst into laughter. "Ah, food…" Maybe Lilinette was right. He didn't technically need to eat but his pets certainly did. Pulling himself up, Starrk went to find some clothes. Behind him he heard a soft groan as Shunsui separated from Nanao. The sound tempted him but he manfully pulled his mind back to business.

Food first. Molesting his pets later.

* * *

Starrk sat at the formal banquet, Shunsui and Nanao by his side, and wished he was in his rooms. A nice, informal dinner with Lilinette and his slaves followed by as many rounds of intercourse as they could fit in… yes, that was what he preferred. Instead, he was trapped at one of Aizen's little parties. Sighing to himself, he tried his food. At least that part was excellent.

Starrk looked up with a blink as he felt a sudden anguish from Kyoraku. Glancing around, he easily found what had caught Shunsui's attention. Juushiro had entered the room, smiling easily as he took his place at the table.

Starrk closed his eyes for a moment, just feeling Shunsui's anguish, anger and hopeless pain. Then he took pity on the man and slid a hand down his back before issuing a command.

"Do not think about what you cannot change." He said and grey eyes turned towards him for a moment. They were filled with such torment. But then Shunsui closed his eyes and nodded, before turning his attention to the food and the woman sitting beside him. Nanao was also trying to comfort him.

Starrk wondered, sometimes, who was worse off. The pets and slaves of the Espada, or the taichou and fukutaichou who were not enslaved at all. He was sure the actual slaves thought the 'not slaves' had it worse. Because the truth was, those survivors were enslaved far more profoundly than any of the Espada's pets.

After the final battle, Aizen had given them their pick of the surviving taichou, fukutaichou and Visored, to be their pets. Several had been executed immediately as unacceptably dangerous – Urahara Kisuke and Hirako Shinji were the two Starrk could remember offhand, although there had been others – and the rest had been put up for grabs. But the Espada could only take two each. Szayel didn't want to stress their minds or possibly weaken their control with more than that.

There weren't many surviving Espada, though. Starrk, Halibel, Grimmjow and Szayel. Starrk was bisexual, so he'd taken Kyoraku and, since she was both attractive and his fukutaichou, Ise Nanao. Halibel had made some rather strange selections. Starrk had honestly thought she was lesbian, but it seemed that he was wrong… she had picked one of the Visored, Kensei, and the big wolf headed taichou, Komamura. Starrk tried to picture them together and his imagination conjured up something rather interesting. Blinking that thought away, he glanced at Grimmjow. The Sexta Espada was also bisexual, and he had selected Rose and Rangiku. That seemed to work strangely well. The two of them both liked to talk, but Grimmjow mostly ignored them before giving his orders. Neither of them seemed to resent it, which made Starrk think they were both used to being managed. Szayel was strictly heterosexual, so he had selected Nemu and Unohana for himself. Those three working together were a truly fearsome group.

Of course, that had left many taichou and fukutaichou survivors that were unattached to any Espada. For almost a year they had been imprisoned as Szayel had worked on how to control them.

What he'd ultimately come up with had been a form of brainwashing. Starrk was very vague on the details, but none of the 'free' taichou were the same anymore. They all idolized Aizen and their personalities had changed. They were utterly merciless in regard to anything they perceived as a threat to Aizen and his edicts. They obeyed orders without question, unless the questions were just to make the orders clearer or more effective. Various atrocities could be attributed to all of them, now, and they did not feel the slightest shred of guilt. Starrk knew that Shunsui occasionally heard about the things Juushiro was doing, usually from Lilinette. And it utterly horrified him, that his kind-hearted friend had been turned into this.

And that was why, for all the things they were forced to do, the pets of the Espada considered themselves fortunate. Toshiro did not even acknowledge Rangiku now. Love did not give Rose a passing glance. Shuuhei was dead, but if he was still alive Starrk was sure he would have no use for Komamura. And Juushiro had no interest in Shunsui. He was polite, when they met, but just didn't seem to feel any kind of emotional connection anymore. That loss also pained his pet, deeply.

Grimacing to himself, Starrk decided he would take Shunsui's mind off it the only way he knew… by fucking the man so hard and so thoroughly, he couldn't even see straight. But that would have to wait until this damned party was over. Or maybe…?

"Come with me." He said to Shunsui as he stood. "I need some fresh air." That was transparent as glass to his two pets. Shunsui rose with a resigned expression as Nanao bit her lip. Neither of them bothered to protest. They knew it would do no good.

Starrk took Kyoraku outside, into the gardens. As soon as he was sure they would remain unobserved he released his pheromones and pinned the man to a tree, working on his hakama with feverish intent. The urge to mate was suddenly consuming him. He _needed _Shunsui, needed him desperately. Hands gripped that tight, well-muscled ass as the shinigami's hakama and underthings fell to his ankles.

"Starrk… ah…" Shunsui grunted as his neck was attacked, teeth and lips working on the warm skin. Starrk paused to suck, savoring the scent and feel of his slave, so warm against him. "Kami, how can you…" He groaned and Starrk understood the question. How could he do this so often?

"No idea." He muttered as he began to prepare the man. He really didn't know why he was acting like this. But he was in no way interested in thinking about it. All he wanted was to be sheathed in that tight heat, satisfying his lusts on this man while he gave pleasure in return. Grey eyes, hazed with lust and just a touch of pain, met his before he gripped those legs and slid inside.

Shunsui jerked with a muffled groan. Starrk took him with a slow, even rhythm, sliding in and out of those clutching insides. He felt the man's erection against his belly, pressing through the fabric of his jacket. Reaching down, he gripped that organ and slowly stroked, savoring the small sounds Shunsui was making. His eyes were closed now, as Starrk continued to take him. He was making it so slow and gentle, despite the setting and the impulsiveness of the act. He wanted to draw this out, take as long as possible. Both because he was enjoying it but also because the more time he took, the less time his pet would have to spend at the banquet looking at his white haired ex-friend.

Starrk groaned as Shunsui seemed to ripple around him, looking into the man's face. His head was flung back now, sweat beading on that handsome face. Starrk licked it away as he began speeding his thrusts, hitting the special spot inside his pet more firmly. The sound Shunsui made, something between a whimper and moan, hit his instincts hard and Starrk gasped before grinding against the man, trying to get as deeply inside as he could. As the pace of their mating increased, Starrk stroked the cock in his hand faster and more firmly. He was getting close and from the warm pulsing of his member, Shunsui was too…

There was a strangled cry as Shunsui suddenly erupted. Creamy cum coated Starrk's hand as those beautifully responsive walls surrounding his cock tightened. Starrk whimpered deep in his throat, burying his face against Shunsui's neck as he came. The moment of intense pleasure filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction. He was dominating this man, completely. It felt wonderful beyond words.

"Starrk." Shunsui sounded drugged, lost in the pleasure. Starrk smiled at the lazy, satisfied yet mildly pained expression on his face. "Ah, kami… why…?" He murmured and Starrk paused to run a hand over his side before he answered.

"Because I wanted you. And so you wouldn't have to be sitting at that table any longer than necessary." Their eyes met and Starrk saw a flash of understanding on Shunsui's face. He let the man go, slowly pulling out of his body as Shunsui stumbled.

"That doesn't help much…" He said with a sigh as he began getting his clothing in order. "And I really need to eat." Shunsui said with a small smile and Starrk laughed softly. One of the common complaints his pets had was that he kept them from their food, although…

"Lilinette can always get you some snacks. Hmm… and perhaps I could feed them to you… in bed…" The thought made his body stir again, despite the riding he'd just given Kyoraku. The shinigami sighed, shaking his head.

"You are insatiable. Please, let's go back. I promise to be more cheerful." He said and Starrk could feel the relaxation in him. That bit of sex really had helped. Pleased with himself, Starrk followed his pet back to the banquet.

Tonight they could have more fun, but for now they would eat.

* * *

The next month, something peculiar happened.

Starrk's sexual desires began to slacken. It took perhaps a week, but it felt a veil was being lifted from his mind. He could look at Nanao naked without wanted to drag her down onto the cushions and fuck her until she cried his name. He could look at Shunsui fully clothed without imagining him unclothed. His mind seemed infinitely clearer, all of a sudden.

Everyone noticed the change and the reaction was universally one of relief and happiness. His slaves were glad that he wasn't riding them so hard and Lilinette was beyond pleased that he was paying attention to her again. Starrk was guiltily aware that he'd been completely neglecting his smaller half. But he kept puzzling about what had changed. Why had he been so obsessed with sex before? And why was he suddenly… not?

One piece of the puzzle came to him when he was holding Nanao. They were naked and lying together after a bit of gentle intimacy. Shunsui was off with Lilinette, amusing the small arrancar with a game. Starrk breathed in Nanao's scent, noticing a sweetish odor. It was delicate and lovely, teasing his senses in a way her bone and dust scent usually didn't. Starrk blinked as his mind caught up with instincts and informed him what that scent meant.

"You're pregnant." He said aloud and blinked as Nanao stiffened sharply in his arms. "Nanao?" The flash of fear in her mind… wait. "You knew?" He suddenly had the distinct feeling she'd already suspected. She looked away, her face pinched.

"I knew I was late." She said in a low tone. "The child… what will you do if it belongs to Shunsui?" She asked, looking at him and Starrk nodded as he suddenly understood her concerns. With most hollows they would be completely valid. But he was not most hollows and Starrk gave her a gentle smile.

"I will be uncle Starrk." He said lightly and she blinked, the fear fading a bit. "I love children. Why else would the other half of my soul be one?" Truly, he'd always longed for offspring. The thought that he might be raising a shinigami pup did not trouble him in the least. Nanao let out a soft sigh before snuggling up to him.

"Thank you." She whispered and Starrk wondered what she'd feared he might do. Force her to abort? Quite likely. But he considered that a travesty. Shinigami children were every bit as rare as hollow ones. He would never make her give it up. Although…

"Does Shunsui know yet?" He asked and she shook her head. "We should tell him, then take you to Szayel for a checkup." Perhaps he could determine the paternity of her child. It might not matter too much, but Starrk was still curious.

Shunsui's reaction to his possible fatherhood was shock followed by joy. He held Nanao and whispered loving things in her ear as she hugged him back, holding back tears. Starrk could sense, through his link, that they were tears of joy. Then Shunsui's happiness faded and he looked at Starrk with a frown. The arrancar smiled back gently but it was Lilinette who spoke.

"Oi, don't look like that! Starrk'd never hurt it. He loves kids!" She said firmly and Shunsui's frown lightened into a small smile. Starrk could feel his relaxation as he looked at Lilinette and laughed softly.

"Very true." He said fondly as he touched his other half's helmet. She slapped his hand away with a small scowl, but not as though she meant it. "Why don't we have a snack? Pregnant women have larger appetites, no?" He was quite sure he'd heard that somewhere. Nanao gave him a small smile, reaching up to adjust her glasses. Then Lilinette got into the game.

"Yeah! Let's have a picnic outside in the park! Wouldn't that be great?" She said enthusiastically and soon she and Nanao were organizing things. Starrk and Shunsui were relegated to 'carrying things' duty, which was the usual part of men in such things. Starrk didn't mind as he carried the cooler full of drinks. Soon they were enjoying the warm sun and the beauty of the park, their blanket spread over the ground as they enjoyed sandwiches. Looking up into the sky, Starrk felt supremely content.

A child was coming, everyone was happy and it was a wonderful day. What more could he ask for?

* * *

Strangely, Szayel was very happy to hear of the pregnancy. But then he was very unhappy to find out that the paternity was uncertain. He immediately began to run tests as Starrk watched him with a small frown. Something about his reactions was a bit _too_ interested. Why…?

He didn't have time to think much over it, though. Szayel finished his tests and was truly upset about the results.

"It belongs to the shinigami. Do you wish me to abort?" He asked as Starrk stared at him in disbelief. He felt a jolt of rage from Shunsui and a cold apprehension from Nanao, but didn't give it much attention. He was focused on the impudent arrancar in front of him.

"Touch her and die." He growled as Szayel blinked, taken aback by his sudden vehemence. "I will say this to you only once. I do not want her pregnancy interfered with in any way. If she has a sudden 'miscarriage' I WILL look into it." Suddenly, Starrk was certain Szayel needed the reminder that he was the Primera and the other was the Octava. Well, not anymore, but his power was still so much below Starrks' it was absurd. Szayel hesitated before sniffing.

"Well, there will always be the future. In that case, I want nothing more to do with this. Unohana can see to your needs." He left the examination room, leaving behind a stench of scorched ego. Starrk could sense pure relief from both his pets as Unohana took over the examination. She was smiling slightly, probably because her 'master' had been so summarily dismissed.

"Will she have any particular nutritional needs?" He asked after Unohana gave them what little information on the pregnancy she had to offer. There wasn't much, it was very early. She smiled and it was warm and genuine.

"What do you usually eat?" She asked and Starrk thought about it a moment before giving her a quick rundown of their usual meals. Eggs, bacon and toast in the morning. Nothing for lunch but a large meal at supper, usually his favorite foods which were not Japanese in nature. He preferred more European cuisine, particularly heavy on organ meats, steaks and sausages. For snacks, they kept cheese and various vegetables on hand. "That should be fine, but I would suggest a midday meal as well. And more fruits. It sounds like you rarely eat those." She said and Starrk nodded. There was always a vegetable dish in the evening but he had very little fondness for fruits and sweets. Lilinette had more of a sweet tooth, but she just kept some candy for that.

"Certainly, we can do that." He said easily. He wouldn't eat them much, but they could easily add a fruit bowl at breakfast too. "Is there anything else?" He would do anything he could to ensure the pups' health.

"Hm, perhaps more fish. It sounds like you rarely eat that?" She asked and Starrk frowned before making a 'maybe' gesture.

"I would say we have it maybe once a week? Maybe a bit less. We can have it more often." He wasn't a huge fan of fish either but they had it for variety. "Maybe stuffed with sausage." He really did love sausage. Spicy, mild, with mace and nutmeg and cinnamon and… Unohana's laugh made him blink.

"I'm glad you're taking this so well. Well, there isn't much more to go over today. Do you wish to schedule your next checkup?" She asked and Starrk nodded. Soon, they had arranged another appointment. As they left, Shunsui kept his arm around Nanao's waist, keeping her close to him. Starrk approved of the protective gesture. It was the kind of thing a good sire would do.

His own actions still puzzled him, though. It was Lilinette who led him to the final piece of the puzzle.

"…I want to apologize. These past few months… I don't know what came over me." Starrk said at breakfast. He'd been debating whether or not to apologize for a while and finally decided to do it. His behavior really had been odd, to say the least. Shunsui and Nanao both looked surprised as Lilinette snorted.

"You were in rut." She said derisively and Starrk stopped, his fork halfway to his mouth. Abruptly, everything came into focus and he _knew._

"Szayel." He breathed before he abruptly pounded his other hand onto the table, making the dishes jump. "That bastard! I'm going to kill him!" He snarled as Lilinette looked at him in confusion. Nanao was looking apprehensive as Shunsui frowned. "In rut for an entire six months! Kami! We're lucky no one died." Now he knew what had happened. Lilinette's single eye widened as she understood.

"Wait, are you serious?" She protested as he nodded grimly. "That's crazy Starrk! A rut only lasts a week, that's how long the pheromones last!"

"Unless they were artificial to begin with, created by a mad scientist with all the morals of a weasel." Starrk said bitterly before looking at Nanao. "Don't you see Lilinette? He seeded her with something that put me into a rut. It must have been keyed to me or all the Espada would have responded." That would have been a nightmare. Nanao swallowed as Shunsui put an arm around her comfortingly. "That's why my mind cleared as soon as she conceived. Of course the rut couldn't continue when she was pregnant." That would likely hurt both Nanao and the child. It would also make no sense, in terms of instincts. Lilinette shook her head for a moment, confused. Then Shunsui spoke.

"Why would Szayel pick you for this? Why not Grimmjow or Halibel?" He asked and Lilinette winced as Starrk gave the shinigami a grim smile.

"Hollow rut magnifies many things. Sexual desire, possessiveness, aggression… Grimmjow is insanely aggressive normally. A six month rut? He would have left dead bodies everywhere." Starrk said with absolute certainty. "And females don't go into rut the same way we males do. Even if Szayel could create such a state in Halibel, she would destroy her pets. Females can do it more often naturally. Six months of that…" Starrk doubted Kensei and Komamura would survive. "He picked me because I was the gentlest, with the lowest sex drive." That made Nanao choke a bit and Starrk couldn't blame her. It did sound absurd, after what they'd experienced. "I'm still surprised no one died." In retrospect, he could see all the sex he'd forced on Shunsui had been an instinctive effort to keep the other male in his place. His intellect hadn't been behind it, though. If he'd known what was going on and embraced it, he'd have kept Shunsui from mounting Nanao at all. "Ah, damn him!" Starrk ran his hands through his hair, thinking about it. "He wanted a hybrid child. No wonder he was so disappointed."

"…You know Starrk, this is making me pretty happy." Lilinette said and they all looked at her. She bit her lip, looking down at her plate. "I mean… for a while, I was starting to wonder if you were getting tired of me. If you might take me back." She admitted and Starrk froze in horror at the thought. For a moment he wanted to think she was joking but then he saw she was dead serious. She'd really thought he might…?

"Lilinette." He whispered before abandoning his seat to sweep her into his arms. She squeaked in surprise. "I would never do that. Never! I love you." He said into her ear, cuddling her close. "I'm so sorry I hurt you." He'd neglected her horribly for those months. Nothing she'd done had been able to keep his attention for long. Thin arms went around his neck as she sniffed softly.

"It's okay Starrk. I'm just glad you're back." She said loyally and he smiled, cuddling her. "Hey, get back to your food, it's getting cold." She said and Starrk laughed before letting go and returning to his place.

"You'll have to talk to Szayel, get whatever he did to me removed." Nanao said firmly and Starrk nodded. "Or it might start up again after I've had my child." Shunsui winced at the thought and Starrk sighed.

"I'm certain it would, although depending on how he set it, it might allow some time for breastfeeding." He said morosely. "Maybe we should go to Unohana first, see if she can pinpoint the mechanism." How much she could do would depend on what her orders were, though. "Then I can threaten to rip Szayel's head off if he doesn't fix it." That would be a pleasure. Feeling a bit happier about the situation, Starrk went back to his food.

At least Szayel would not be forcing him into rut a second time.

* * *

Time passed, as it was wont to do.

Szayel owned up to his misdeeds and removed the artificial pheromones Nanao was programmed to secrete. From the relief on Unohana's face, Starrk was sure she'd been aware of Szayel's plot and had not approved. And Starrk could sense his pets relaxing further, as they knew they wouldn't have to deal with a sex crazed Espada in the future.

Their sex life was not inactive, though. Starrk still enjoyed them, quite frequently. But even his tastes in sex had changed. He often let Shunsui take him now, in a gentle way that was quite different from their initial couplings. Starrk also enjoyed tender sex with Nanao, and sharing her with Shunsui. The three of them worked together to satisfy each other quite often and Starrk smiled at the thought of it. The slower, more leisurely pace they could take now was intensely pleasurable. Sometimes, of course, he still wanted to bend Kyoraku over. But that was far less frequent than it had been.

Nanao grew rounder and all the ultrasounds and tests showed her child was in good health. The 'free' taichou and fukutaichou showed no interest – they probably couldn't – but the claimed ones did. Kensei, Rose and Komamura all came to talk and give their congratulations. Starrk noted how relieved they all were when they realized Nanao and Shunsui were truly happy about the coming child. Matsumoto dropped by for longer, but Starrk had no idea what that visit consisted of. He and Shunsui had been firmly kicked out of the nest for it, told to go take Lilinette for some ice cream while the women discussed things.

"Probably just as well. You guys can't handle girl talk." Was Lilinette's opinion and Starrk thought she might be right, about him anyway. Shunsui had rather more experience, although his pet just laughed.

"It's probably terribly boring. Hmm, I think I'll get chocolate and raspberry." He mused, looking at the flavors. "Starrk? What do you want?"

"Vanilla. I'm boring." He said immediately and they both laughed. Lilinette picked the raspberry cheesecake flavor and the girl behind the counter scooped out their selections. They took a seat at the back. It was autumn now and the wind was a touch blustery to be outside in.

"Starrk, I don't think I've thanked you." Shunsui said quietly and Starrk looked up from his ice cream, surprised. "For letting Nanao keep the child." He suddenly seemed old and tired to the Espada, saying that. Starrk felt horrified and quickly shook his head.

"Please, you don't have to thank me for that." Just the thought of forcing an abortion on Nanao made him feel ill. Shunsui smiled and it was a sad expression. His voice was touched with bitterness.

"But I do. If you had chosen to kill her, I couldn't have stopped you." He said and Starrk winced. By now, they knew the child was going to be a girl. The way Shunsui said it made it clear that the child was very real to him. But then, Nanao was well past the point where most spontaneous miscarriages occurred and Unohana said that everything was progressing well. The odds that they would have a healthy little girl were good.

"Aw, come on, this is depressing. Have you guys decided what you're gonna name her?" Lilinette asked and Starrk was grateful for the change of topic. Shunsui smiled at the little arrancar, licking his spoon before he responded.

"We were thinking of naming her Sanae. If you don't mind?" Shunsui said and Starrk grimaced. Was he really…?

"Shunsui, you can call her a persimmon if you want." He said firmly and he blinked before laughing. "If I happen to give Nanao her next pup, I won't ask your permission on the name either." He might bounce a few names off Shunsui for his input, but giving him the power of veto? No. "Sanae… that sounds lovely." It had a very nice sound. Lilinette nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! She's going to be awesome. She'll wake you all up a dozen times in the night and poop all the time! Bet you're glad you don't really have duties anymore." She said with unholy delight. Starrk winced, although it was true. The enslaved taichou and fukutaichou had been largely removed from their duties in favor of serving their Espada. Although really, that gave them plenty to do. Starrk didn't let his pets be completely idle and some, like Szayel, kept them extremely busy. Shunsui laughed.

"Thank you Lilinette! I think you need to learn how to change a diaper." He said teasingly, earning an 'ewww' from the small arrancar. "I can't wait to see her. The only good thing to come of this…" Shunsui mused, looking at his empty bowl. Starrk finished his vanilla before nodding.

"She'll be beautiful." Holding that tiny pup… Starrk thought his broken heart might finally feel whole. "Uncle Starrk." He murmured to himself. It was such an enchanting image… and someday, he might even be father, as well. "Ah… do you think they would be done? Or should we go somewhere else?"

"Let's go to the chocolate place! I want chocolates!" Lilinette said and Starrk considered it, glancing outside. It really was an unpleasant day but would Rangiku and Nanao be done? "An' then we can go for tea. They're gonna be talking for HOURS!"

"She's right." Shunsui agreed with a smile and Starrk sighed to himself. Females… "Tea sounds excellent. Are you done, Lilinette-chan?" She nodded as she swallowed the last bit of her ice cream.

"Yeah, let's go!" Together, they left the shop. Starrk adjusted his collar to protect his neck a bit, as the cold wind slashed at them. Then he smiled as Lilinette skipped in front of them, happy with the world. It was wonderful to watch.

They were not lonely anymore.


	19. Dusting - The Swarm

Violetta blinked back sweat as a sword headed for her face. She blocked it neatly, the blades grating against each other as she looked into the face of her opponent and clashed reiatsu with him fearlessly. He was smiling, his eyes closed but there was some sweat in his silvery hair.

"You're doin' great! But ya know, I could end this with my shikai anytime I wanted." He said and she bit her lip. She'd already seen Gin's shikai and she knew that was true. "You need your shikai."

"I'll find it." She said as they continued to spar. "It's there… I feel it…" She was having dreams now. Dreams full of black locusts, filling the air and buzzing against each other. The buzzing almost made a word and she knew that when she heard it, she would have her shikai.

With the news of her pregnancy, Aizen had finally let Szayel give her some tests. They had determined that her power was almost entirely shinigami in nature. Shinigami needed to be taught… they were not instinct driven beings like hollows… so now Violetta was getting lessons from both Tosen and Gin. Tosen was teaching her the art of kido while Gin was teaching her shunpo and swordwork.

"Let's call it off for now. Take a breather an' meditate." Gin suggested and Violetta nodded. That was the normal way to communicate with a sword spirit. Most shinigami trying to achieve shikai spent at least an hour a day meditating over their swords. Often they continued it for years, even decades, but Violetta didn't have that long. She was determined to master this.

She jammed her sword firmly into the desert sands before sitting cross legged in front of it. Gin held Shinso differently, across his lap. They both dropped into Jinzen. Gin already knew his bankai but that didn't mean he couldn't benefit from spending time with his sword spirit.

Violetta walked silently through her inner world. The place was very strange, which was rather to be expected of a hollow, particularly one with a main personality composed of many souls. The path she followed was rough stones, and her shoes tapped on them softly. Around her were so many things… delicate little bushes, a shrine, a koi pond, even a small gazebo.

They were grey. All of those things were grey, frozen and looking like they had been carved of stone. The land they sat on was dull grey clay, parched and broken.

"Why is this me?" Violetta asked, gazing into the sky. It was grey and overcast. "It is all so… grey." It seemed so empty and lifeless. Shrugging to herself, she patiently continued to walk. Eventually, she would find what she was looking for.

She did. Little black specs began to fly through the air. Violetta slowed, coming to a halt as more and more of them flew through the air. Lifting a hand, she watched as the black locusts landed on her fingers. Blue purple eyes regarded them sadly, watching as they groomed themselves, regarding her through compound eyes.

"I know you." She whispered to the bugs. She knew them in so many ways… before her mask had been broken, she had been a locust. Was this why?

_Yes, you do._ The whisper was like the sound of wings rubbing together, chitin against chitin. Soft and scratchy and uncomfortable to hear. Insects landed on her hair, coiling through the thick strands.

"Why won't you tell me your name?" She asked. Every other time, she had asked his name and her zanpakuto had simply laughed. Rephrasing the question did not help. He simply would not speak. So perhaps it was time for a different question.

_Because you already know it._ The buzzing filled her ears. Violetta felt like she was in a trance, as she watched the bugs swarm. They formed black lines in the sky and somehow, they were familiar. She had seen this before… _Remember what you are and what you were, hollow girl. Then, I will be yours again._ Again. She'd held this power before.

"I was a shinigami." That was an obvious conclusion. "But…" That was not all she was. Violetta remembered things. She remembered being a young girl and dying to violence. She remembered screams and crying. That was not the life of a shinigami. "I… the shinigami… who…?" It was so hard. So hard to find the right soul. It must be strong inside her but it felt like it was just out of reach.

_Remember._ That hissing sound filled her ears as she looked at the insects swarming across the sky. _Remember._ She looked at the dead koi pond and an image filled her mind. The grey fading into vibrant colors beneath a bright blue sky… _Remember._ A child. A little boy with black hair like hers and grey eyes like his… mother…

Violetta opened her eyes as her sword vanished.

"Kuroikaze." She breathed her last name – no. The name of her zanpakuto. She _had_ always known him. "Wilt, Kuroikaze!" She commanded and stood as streams of insects filled her vision. They slashed over the sands, tearing apart a few boulders, simply because they could. But there was nothing for them to devour and they came back soon enough, forming a cloud around her. Little insects rested on her hands. And Gin came out of his trance at the urging of his zanpakuto to see what was happening.

"Uh… yeah… That's gross." He said, actually opening his eyes as he saw the young woman in front of him. Bugs danced between her fingers and tangled in her hair and there was a soft, grating sound that she easily interpreted as her zanpakuto's laughter.

"It's a very hollow zanpakuto. Perhaps that's why it stayed." She said dreamily, still looking at the insects on her hand. "His name is Kuroikaze and my name is… Sojun. Kuchiki Sojun." She heard Gin draw in a bit of air and smiled at him reassuringly. "Do not be alarmed. My loyalty is to Starrk-sama now." The thought of that little boy hurt. She'd… he'd died when the child was so young. But that boy was a man now and probably a shinigami. He would kill her, without pause. There was also the new child and she dropped her hand there, to the growing bulge. She rubbed it as Gin blinked before smiling.

"Wasn' worried about that! Just surprised is all. You've got much better tits than he did." He said lightly and Violetta blinked before laughing.

"Yes… he's a powerful soul within me, but not the most powerful, obviously." She glanced down over herself before looking at the locusts again. Then she resealed her shikai and the sword reappeared in her hand. "Now I need to work on bankai." She had no memories of that. Sojun had not achieved it before his untimely demise. Gin nodded, his eyes closed as he smiled again.

"Yeah, that's a lot of work. I can help you a bit but it'll pr'bly take years." He cautioned her and she nodded, although she was resolved to learn it in a much shorter time.

She needed to be able to help her mate.

* * *

Starrk looked at the enemy he was destined to fight.

He was absolutely determined to win this battle. Not for Aizen, but for his mate and still unborn pup. If he failed he would likely die and without him, the child's chances for survival were poor. Violetta would likely pull through – she was strong and a survivor – but raising a child alone usually ended tragically for hollows. An undefended den was a ripe target.

Pushing aside the horrible mental image of his child being torn to pieces and eaten, Starrk focused all his energy and skill on the man across from him. They clashed in a very even way, before there was sudden, shocking interference.

"VIOLETTA!" Starrk roared as the black stream of locusts swung at Kyoraku, causing the man to dodge and look for his unexpected opponent. He spotted her floating in the air, a set and determined expression on her face. "What in HELL are you doing?!" Starrk was splitting his attention, which put him at a slight disadvantage… but so was Shunsui, keeping an eye on the woman in white.

"Yeah! What are you doing? You're preggers! Knocked up! Pup in the belly! You should be back home safe in the nest!" Lilinette called from where she'd been having her 'duel' with the white haired shinigami. Starrk ground his teeth for a moment. He hadn't been sure about letting the shinigami know that… although it was reasonably obvious. Violetta was around five months along and even her heavy skirts couldn't quite hide her pup swollen belly.

"Wait… hollows can breed?" The white haired man asked, sounding stunned, and Starrk groaned to himself. That was exactly why he hadn't wanted them to know… and of course, Lilinette proceeded to make it worse.

"Duh! Of course they can! But it's pretty rare and special so you SHOULDN'T BE HERE!" She screamed and Violetta had finally had enough.

"I'm SORRY Lilinette-sama but I'm not going to lose my mate! I love you both and I need you and I WILL NOT let you die!" She said before raising her hands and directing the swarm. Shunsui had to keep dodging but Starrk did not add his attacks. As the shinigami was occupied, he sonido'd to her side and scooped her up, carrying her down to Lilinette. "STARRK!"

"No. You are not involved in this." He said firmly, trusting that the shinigami would have a basic sense of decency. Surely they wouldn't kill a pregnant female, even if she was a hollow…? Although if she kept attacking them… "Can you put a kido on her or something?" He said to the white haired taichou, who was watching in bemusement. Violetta yelped in rage.

"Starrk, no! I'll break it! You see if I won't!" She threatened, her blue purple eyes flashing and he closed his eyes for a moment. She probably could. Taking her hands, he disregarded his enemies for a moment. Lilinette was watching his back.

"Violetta, listen to me. You are carrying my child. I can take far more damage than you and I will, to protect the two of you." He said sincerely as she bit her lip. "Please, stay here. Don't interfere. I couldn't live with myself if you died." And if she kept attacking the shinigami would have to consider her a legitimate target. Her shikai was just too damned powerful to ignore.

"Starrk… I… I will." Violetta whispered and Starrk wasn't entirely sure he believed her. He believed she meant it but if he was losing, would that hold? Deciding he would have to go with it, he went back to his battle. One positive of having Violetta there was that she started restraining Lilinette. The way she'd been fighting the white haired taichou was particularly absurd.

On the ground, Violetta watched the battle with wide eyes and a hand to her mouth. Her clothing blew in the wind as Starrk called Lilinette to him and assumed his resurrection. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly but did nothing more. She wanted to fight but splitting Starrk's attention… no, it wasn't wise. She'd known that before she'd come but she hadn't been able to stay away.

Then the white haired taichou went to join the battle and she bit her lip, deeply tempted to join in. She could see they were a team, old and powerful and so used to each other they might as well be a single unit. That… was nothing like how she would fight with Starrk. They would be the exact opposite, almost. He would be desperate to defend her, not relying on her strengths and harmonizing their movements. The thought brought her great pain. What was she to do?

Closing her eyes, she tried to concentrate. She had been a shinigami. Didn't she know anything useful about them? Hadn't she ever sparred with them…? Abruptly an image filled her mind.

"Shunsui!" Yes! She remembered him. She remembered… "Starrk! Ogre from the shadows! If you step on your shadow he can attack you from it!" Violetta called to her mate. She caught the strange look on Shunsui's face as he glanced down at her. "He can hide in the shadows!" Oh, how she remembered that.

"Please tell your mate that if she keeps giving away my secrets, I'll be forced to silence her." Shunsui warned. He really didn't want to kill a pregnant woman, even if she was a hollow. But he had to win. Failure was simply not an option. Starrk groaned in frustration before yelling at the ground.

"Violetta! Shut up!" He appreciated the information but not at the possible cost of her life.

The battle continued, raging violently until Shunsui and Juushiro were defeated. Violetta vacillated a moment before going to the fallen shinigami. She seriously considered ending their lives but as she lifted her sword, she found she simply couldn't. A memory intruded in her mind, painful in its clarity.

"_Very good! If you continue this way, you'll find your bankai someday." The smile on his sensei's face warmed him to his toes and he smiled back shyly._

"_Thank you, Kyoraku taichou."_

"This is so hard." She whispered. That soul, the one that held most of her power, knew these men and loved them. Sighing to herself, she left the brown haired one. He would recover just fine, anyway. She knelt beside the white haired taichou, giving him gentle healing and mending the worst of the internal damage. He looked at her in confusion.

"Why… are you…?" He coughed heavily, bringing up blood and she paused to gently stroke that long white hair. It was silky beneath her fingers.

"Because I remember you, Ukitake taichou." She said softly and his eyes widened as he realized that he had never introduced himself to her.

"Who…?" He asked and she shook her head. She did not think revealing her identity would be wise. Although, if they thought hard enough about it they might remember her shikai. The one thing that would lead them astray was her appearance. Her hair and eyes were the same, but as Gin had said, Violetta had much better tits than Sojun had ever owned.

"A shinigami is part of me. That is all I will say." She said firmly as she stood. He would survive now and she did not want to heal him too much. Starrk was her primary concern. Biting her lip, she watched him fighting strongly against the Visored. The child she was carrying gave him strength and determination, but would it be enough? "…" Pulling out her sword, she jammed it point first into the building. Then she stared at it, daring her zanpakuto. "Give me your bankai." She whispered, resting a hand on the hilt as she concentrated on drawing the sword spirit out.

Perhaps it was her desperation. Perhaps it was simply the right time and place. Perhaps it was fate. But whatever it was, her sword spirit came. He stood in front of her and she heard Juushiro retch at the sight. It was quite horrifying. A man form of shifting bugs, thin and skeletal and particularly grotesque. Violetta just met yellow eyes, feeling the malice and eternal hunger in the spirit that faced her. He longed to devour everything. It was his nature.

_You think you can master me?_ Kuroikaze's voice was the shifting of the insects, soft yet hard edged, not even remotely gentle. _You think you can command my power?_

"Yes. Because I am a hollow and we are so much the same." She said, pitting her will and hunger directly against his. The staring contest continued, but it was nothing compared to what was going on beneath. Violetta understood, vaguely, that this was how she would earn her bankai… or die. If she failed to control him, her zanpakuto would devour her. That was his challenge to her.

It was hard. So incredibly hard. Violetta had no idea how long she was locked in contention, fighting to control the power she'd called out of her sword and soul. But finally there was a hiss of annoyance before the form in front of her bent his head. Then he dissolved in a cloud of locusts and Violetta took a deep breath, blinking as the knowledge of her bankai filled her. She would still be new with it, but she could sense that he was a very independent sort of power. She could set him free and he would destroy as she willed.

Looking up, Violetta was horrified to see that the brown haired shinigami had recovered even faster than she'd anticipated. He was fighting Starrk now and she knew, with sick certainty that her mate was not going to win. She could feel it in the air, the way the battle was going…

Neither of the combatants were expecting what happened next. Starrk knew he was a dead man as he fell for the haori feint. Shunsui was ready to make it happen, just about to take his slash when a hand of darkness grabbed the arrancar and lifted him away. His eyes went wide but he had no time to dodge before the second hand closed over him.

Starrk watched, his eyes wide with horror and amazement as little droplets of blood splattered through the air. They were tiny, but there were so many of them… it didn't take a genius to understand that the shinigami inside the writhing bugs was being shredded. The same insects were holding him in place, gently running over his clothing and Starrk shuddered in revulsion before looking down. Violetta was looking up at them, her eyes filled with silent tears.

"I'm sorry, Kyoraku taichou." She whispered as she felt the energy of the man, his soul, flow into her as his body ceased to exist. It hurt so much, what she had done, but she'd been forced to make a choice. And she simply could not let her mate die. Her loyalty was not to Aizen, but the man above and the unborn child inside her. Blinking, she mentally ordered her zanpakuto to release Starrk. He did, although he registered the usual complaint… that the arrancar looked tasty. Violetta sighed to herself. "Wasn't Shunsui enough?" But of course he wasn't. Kuroikaze could never be satisfied. He would devour the world, if he could.

As Starrk flew down to her, still shocked by the abrupt end of his battle, Violetta sent Kuroikaze after another target. That was the ice surrounding Halibel. The little taichou who had imprisoned her was caught completely off guard as a massive fist of inky black smashed through the ice imprisoning her, freeing the Espada.

"No!" Starrk shot at something then, startling her. Violetta turned, wide-eyed, to see that someone had correctly identified her as the source of the problem they were facing. It was one of the Visored… summoning Kuroikaze back, she concentrated on the battle.

They would do what they could to ensure Aizen's victory.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm thinking of doing two endings to this arc... one where Aizen wins and one where Soul Society wins. What would you like to see first? :)


	20. Who is Kami?

Author's Note: This silliness was inspired by a webcomic I read a very long time ago. One character who sometimes acted as a narrator was a young man who'd been given godlike powers. What did he use them for? Nothing really… he spent his time playing computer games naked. Sometimes he cured the common cold and once a wet dream of his increased the bust size of every woman in the city by several inches. ^_^

* * *

"I am soooo drunk."

"Yep, you are." The little girl hollow agreed from her place at the bar. There was no one there but a terrified bartender and owner who had refused to abandon his place of business. It was all he had in the world. Even the presence of a bizarre hollow like creature was not going to drive him from it. And the creature in question didn't seem to be violent even if he was drinking and not paying. The owner was willing to take it.

"I wanna 'nother round fer everyone in the house!" The hollow announced, which made his smaller companion sigh. "On me!"

"You're the only one in the house. I mean except for this guy. And you haven't paid him a dime yet." She pointed out as the bartender quickly supplied more alcohol. The big hollow looked momentarily puzzled.

"Oh. Do I have any money?" He asked after a moment and she shook her head.

"No." She said and he licked his lips before attempting to think.

"Zat bad?" He asked and she shrugged a bit.

"It is for this guy." She gestured towards the owner, who tensed slightly. He did not want the hollow to become upset. No, drunk and out of it was infinitely preferable to upset. He'd never actually seen an arrancar before but he could recognize one and this was definitely one of the new breed of hollows.

Then the door opened and the owner closed his eyes. A couple of shinigami had already come by to try to collect the hollow. So far, he'd shown remarkable restraint in his drunken state and just completely ignored them. Weapons had been deflected, kidos had fizzled and surprisingly, his place of business had escaped unscathed. He wasn't sure it could last. Shinigami were pretty bad about destroying buildings when they were hunting hollows. Granted, they usually rebuilt them but still…

"Ah, arrancar-san!" A pleasant voice said and the owner opened his eyes before closing them again. Everyone knew that pink kimono. And the long white hair of his companion was pretty well known too. He wanted to sink behind the bar but he knew it wouldn't do any good. The arrancar turned curiously as the little girl hollow picked her nose.

"Hellooooo~" The arrancar said, his attention suddenly fixed on the white haired man. The bartender blinked. "Want a drink?" He offered with a wide smile and the taichou looked at the bottle of alcohol a bit wide eyed. "Yer pretty." The arrancar slurred and the owner winced.

"Starrk, that's a GUY!" The little girl objected and the bigger hollow looked confused. "Have you drunk yourself blind or something?" She groused as her elder struggled to think.

"She's got long hair." He said, determined to stick with his initial gender identification. The white haired taichou had an 'I don't believe this' look on his face while the other one was starting to smile. The little girl hollow sighed.

"The other one's got long hair TOO, Starrk. I don't see you calling him a girl." She said and the older hollow… Starrk?... squinted at the taichou in pink.

"That'd be a really hairy girl." He said and the man in pink actually laughed.

"Ah, how amusing! But I doubt Aizen sent you here to be a comedy routine. Tell me, arrancar-san. What are you doing here? Aside from getting unbelievably drunk." The taichou said, his eyes ranging over the empty bottles scattered across the floor. There was an amazing number of them. It was the little girl who answered as the older hollow tried to make another overture to his friend, still suffering from a case of gender confusion.

"That is what we're here for and Aizen didn't send us. He's dead." That caught both their attentions and the white haired taichou took a step forward. That was a huge mistake because a drunken Starrk suddenly ended up in his arms.

"Yer really cute even if yer flat." He said then yelped in pain as his smaller companion kicked him squarely in the arse. "Lilinette!"

"Let go of him! He's a guy Starrk! A GUY! Do you even like guys?" She asked as the white haired taichou tried to gently free himself from the drunken man. Starrk let go, wobbling as he stood, his face screwed up in an effort to think. "Okay that's it. BARTENDER! He's cut off! No more booze!"

"WHAT?!" The big arrancar suddenly staggered back to the bar and grabbed his bottle. "Noooo! Lilinette! I'm not done!" He complained as she kicked him. "Ow!"

"You can't even tell a girl from a guy. You are done like dinner." She said and he whimpered something before trying to chug his alcohol. "You can finish that but that's it!" She threatened before turning her attention back to the men in front of her. They were watching with amusement from one and horrified fascination from the other.

"What do you mean, Aizen's dead?" The white haired taichou said and the little girl scratched her head, making an odd echoing sound against her bone helmet.

"Look, why don't we take this from the top? I'm Lilinette Gingerbuck. Mr. Soppy Drunk here is Coyote Starrk. Now, who are you guys?" She asked and they exchanged a glance before asking.

"I'm Kyoraku Shunsui." The guy in pink told her and she nodded as the white haired one spoke.

"I'm Ukitake Juushiro." The white one said with a smile so friendly that Lilinette eyed him suspiciously. "Would you like some candy?" He offered, reaching into his pockets and pulling out something that made her eyes light up.

"Oh yeah!" She hadn't had candy since she was alive. Then she paused as she reached out, suddenly suspicious. "This ain't poisoned or nothin' is it?"

"Of course not!" Juushiro assured her as she eyed him thoughtfully. "I didn't know there would be a child here. No one mentioned you at all." She scoffed a little but took the candy, popping it into her mouth and sucking it thoughtfully.

"S'good. And yeah, I'm not as memorable as Starrk." She looked at her companion, who was still busy with his jar of sake. "This is the first time he's ever had booze. I guess it could be going worse. He hasn't puked yet."

"It's only a matter of time I would say." Kyoraku said with a knowing smile. "But you said something about Aizen being deceased?" He prompted and the little girl nodded.

"Yeah. Starrk killed him." She said, an assertion they both regarded with skepticism.

"Why would one of Aizen's creations turn on him?" Ukitake asked and Lilinette sneered at him.

"We weren't his creations! What, do these look like uniforms to you?" She asked and Shunsui tilted his head as Juushiro frowned. It was true, what the two arrancar were wearing bore no resemblance to uniforms. In fact, they looked like large, furry blankets. Little patches of bare skin and body hair could be seen when Starrk shifted. It was actually slightly indecent, given that he appeared to have no clothing beneath. The same was true of Lilinette. "We broke our own masks back when we separated. We never owed anything to Aizen!"

"I see… so why did you kill him?" Shunsui asked. He didn't really believe any of this. The menace to Soul Society, gone? Replaced with… what? The little girl hollow shrugged.

"We just wanted that stone of his. The one with the pretty voice." She said, which was puzzling. "Hey Starrk! Show them your sword!"

"Huh?" The arrancar mumbled as he tried to reach over the bar for more alcohol. The bartender was a bit unsure what to do, glancing between him and the child hollow. She saw what he was doing and kicked him in the shins.

"STARRK! You're cut off! Now give me your sword, you're too drunk to have it anyhow!" She snapped and he groaned before holding out a hand. A moment of drunken concentration and a weapon appeared in it.

"Wait… it was part of me… too drunk to have myself…?" He asked querulously as the girl seized the sword. "Gonna take my balls too?"

"No! Keep your testicles to yourself. So here's that stone thing." She said as the two taichou watched her warily. "When Starrk touched it, it went into him and turned into this. She says she's a zanpakuto now. Like, a real one. She wanted Starrk so she called him in and he took her before Aizen could stop him. That really pissed him off so there was a really big, knock down battle. We won and decided to go celebrate by going somewhere and not killing people."

"…Not killing people?" Juushiro asked as Shunsui examined the sword. It was strange, to say the least. A dark purple color, it was highlighted with black. He could sense no power in it at all, but that worried him because he had an instinctive feeling that the weapon was composed of nothing BUT power. And, for that matter, he could sense nothing from Starrk and his little friend. Yet shinigami had been turned away from him with no apparent effort.

"YESH!" Starrk suddenly got into the game, bolting upright with a wide smile on his face. His cheeks were quite adorably flushed. "We made a garganta! We WENT PLACES! And people DIDN'T DIE! It'sh amazing!" Lilinette sighed, interpreting for her larger half.

"Until we absorbed the purple rock thing we couldn't control our reiatsu at all. We killed everything we ran into. I bet you two would survive but everyone else here? Pffth, gone." Lilinette waved and the two shinigami exchanged a glance. "Now we can control our power perfectly. And we're a lot stronger, too. I think we're basically some kind of weird god thing now."

"God of sake…" Starrk tried to reach for another bottle before getting a kick. "Ow! Lilinette!"

"Stuff it Starrk! I think I want to get out of here. Hey, can you two take-off or something?" She said and Shunsui sighed before suddenly pulling out his swords.

"I'm afraid you must come with us." He said commandingly as Juushiro followed suit, pulling out his weapons. They both immediately went to shikai as Lilinette scowled. The sword she was holding vanished as Starrk grumbled something indecipherable.

"Oi, ya think so?" She gestured and an invisible force pushed them back. Shunsui summoned the full force of his reiatsu and Juushiro did the same… and it did no good at all.

"Kami." Shunsui grunted as he struggled against that invisible pressure. It was gently forcing them back, herding them out of the bar. It felt like – like he was fighting against Yamamoto's spiritual pressure when he was a new recruit. Except there was no sense of suffocation, no heavy weight. This force was being very gentle to them but it was completely irresistible.

"Maybe reasoning with them…?" Juushiro said, his tone very strained as they were shoved out the door. The two arrancar followed although Lilinette was essentially carrying Starrk.

"I'm tired of this place and you're cut off. Make us a gate to the good place!" She said firmly to her larger half, who was looking around with wide-eyed curiosity. "STARRK! Good place!"

"Good place? Oh! Yeah! The good place! We can go to the good place!" Starrk was suddenly enthusiastic and Shunsui managed to take a step forward as their attention left him. "Ummm… yeah!" Suddenly, a door opened and gentle golden light seemed to spill out of it. Shunsui's eyes went wide as he felt the distinct, familiar power escaping from that portal.

"No, stop!" He didn't know what the two arrancar thought they were doing or how they had created a portal to the Celestial realm, but he didn't think this was a good thing. They ignored him though, stepping into the light. The door vanished behind them, sealing away. "Sweet kami!" He called out a hell butterfly and sent an extremely urgent message to Yamamoto. They needed to get word to the Soul King's court about the intruder into their realm.

It took many days, though, to get any message to the Soul King. By the time it arrived the arrancar were long gone. However, when the Royal Guard searched the grounds they did find a hammock in the orchards, along with plenty of apple cores, some comic books and empty jugs of sake.

The newest 'gods' of the three worlds had come and gone. But eventually, they would be back.


	21. From Defeat - Part 2

Holding Nanao's and Shunsui's child for the first time was everything Starrk could have hoped for and more.

The little thing was red, wrinkly and completely hairless. She was still the sweetest thing the arrancar had ever seen. Nanao had to show him how to hold her but soon Starrk had her safely tucked into his arms. Both the new parents watched as he smiled at their offspring. Lilinette was right beside him, looking at the pup with wide-eyed curiosity.

"Kyoraku Sanae." He murmured but looked up as Nanao shook her head.

"Ise Sanae." She corrected and Starrk blinked. He was no expert but didn't shinigami give names through the masculine line? "We're not married and it would be… better… if the Kyoraku clan wasn't involved." She said and Starrk just felt confused. He transferred his stare to Shunsui, who was regarding the little pup in his arms with a slightly sad expression.

"It might also be better for her if they think she might be yours." He said softly and Starrk frowned. "It would give her more protection."

"She will have my protection regardless." Starrk said, wondering exactly what his pets were afraid of. "If the Kyoraku clan tried to intervene, I would stop them." He simply would not tolerate that. There was a soft laugh from Nanao and Shunsui gave him a small smile.

"Precisely. We want to head off bloodshed." He said lightly and Starrk blinked. He thought his clan might actually try to defy an Espada? "My clan is rather desperate for an heir at the moment. They were completely gutted in the defeat. And with myself no longer considered eligible…"

"Why aren't you eligible? You know, Starrk could just move. And it's not like he needs you for his duties anyhow." Lilinette said and Starrk blinked at the thought. Right now, they all lived in his suites. They were part of the new arrancar housing that had been constructed. But she was right, there was absolutely no reason he couldn't just pick up and move. And while he did often take Shunsui with him on his duties, he could certainly handle things on his own.

"You would do that?" Shunsui sounded surprised and Starrk sighed to himself, reminded that his slaves did not trust him. But then, why should they?

"As Lilinette said, why not? Aizen could easily send me messages there. And I'm sure it's every bit as luxurious as what I have here." He would be quite surprised if it wasn't. The Kyoraku clan was a very prominent noble clan. "Perhaps you should look into that. I would not deny little Sanae her birthright." He glanced at Nanao, who was looking a bit pensive. Shunsui managed a real smile then.

"Being the heir to a noble clan comes with many obligations, Starrk. But perhaps you are right." He said before reaching out to gently touch that tiny cheek. Starrk smiled, then passed the baby back as she began to quietly fuss. Nanao calmed her easily, by pulling down her robe and popping a nipple in the infant's mouth. "Ah, beautiful." Shunsui said softly as he watched his lover nursing his child. Starrk just smiled, cuddling Lilinette close. She sniffed a little, rubbing her single eye and Starrk knew they were thinking the same thing.

It truly was beautiful, watching a new mother taking care of her pup.

* * *

Things became interesting after that.

The Kyoraku clan was more than interested in having Shunsui back. From what Starrk could tell, they really were desperate for a proper heir. The clan was currently being run personally by Shunsui's grandmother, who had been strong in her youth. But her power had faded with age and she was very old. They doubted she could live more than a century or two and without a viable heir, the Kyoraku clan might fall on very hard times indeed, when she died.

So the thought of Shunsui and his young daughter returning home brought them great relief. Hosting an Espada was a price they were more than willing to pay, particularly when it was the lazy, gentle Coyote. No one had ever accused him of having a quick temper or a tendency towards violence, unlike Grimmjow or even Halibel. Soon, he was ensconced in a new, very grand suite of rooms. The only thing they had to learn to accommodate was his tastes in food. Starrk could tolerate sushi and sashimi occasionally, but every day? No. He wanted some steak and kidney pie. The Kyoraku clan handled that by hiring some new chefs who knew the kind of cuisine he desired.

Starrk loved watching little Sanae grow. She seemed to change so quickly in such a short length of time. Her hair soon came in, lovely black curls. Her eyes shifted from the blue they'd had at birth, becoming a soft grey. She turned into an active crawler, followed by walking. Her words came with that and two years after her birth, she could most certainly talk. Those who didn't know her well often couldn't decipher it, but Starrk could understand almost everything she said.

"Unca Starr'!" She would always say when she saw him, reaching out pudgy little hands to grab him. Starrk would give her the hugs and kisses she wanted, smiling in joy at the love that had entered his life. Truly, being an uncle made him feel almost whole.

The feelings of his pets also helped with that. Settling into his duties as clan head, Shunsui felt much happier. And Nanao was happy beyond words when Starrk allowed them to get married in the shinigami fashion. He was not jealous and they all understood that someday, Nanao might bear him a child. Starrk didn't really care if the offspring was counted part of the Kyoraku clan or not.

It was all almost idyllic, except for the things still happening in Soul Society. Aizen was intent on molding the place into the proper image and Tosen wanted to impose a rule of law. That resulted in some highly unpleasant things. Starrk was in the thick of that, as one of the remaining Espada. He didn't want to burden his pets with what was happening but Lilinette didn't know how to keep her mouth shut. So Nanao often found out what was happening. Shunsui already knew… as the Clan Head, his own spies kept him fully informed.

"I'm sorry." Starrk said softly one night, over supper. He wasn't even tempted to ask his pets for intimacy tonight. Shunsui was hardly touching his food, just staring at his plate, and Nanao looked like she'd been crying. Lilinette hadn't babbled this time, though. Shunsui had needed to share his pain.

"It's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done." He said sadly and Starrk nodded. It was nothing but the truth. The whole incident had had nothing to do with him. He hadn't even been aware it was happening until it was over.

It all involved Juushiro. Two of his brothers, working along with his former Third seats, had tried to capture him in an effort to undo his brainwashing. Starrk considered that a testament to how much they loved him. They were willing to risk their lives to save him. And they had very nearly done it. They had managed to drug him and almost had gotten away with him. It had been their bad fortune that Byakuya had stumbled over the escape in progress. Senbonzakura had taken care of their plans and ended two lives. Sentaro and one of Juushiro's brothers had been left alive, but not for long. Aizen had ordered Juushiro himself to execute them, which he had done.

But not without a price. It seemed the brainwashing wasn't entirely flawless because while Juushiro had shown no obvious signs of emotional pain, he'd suffered a violent attack just afterward. It made Starrk wonder how much the altered taichou and fukutaichou actually felt, beneath the compliance forced on them. Were they aware of their slavery? If so, it was horrifying and the sexual slaves of the Espada were indeed much better off.

"Is there anything we can do?" Nanao said, her voice tired and hopeless. Starrk thought about it for a moment. It was hard to see what they could do for Juushiro. He was in the Fourth now, under the care of Unohana and he might survive. He might not, too. They really weren't sure.

"I could talk to Szayel." He said thoughtfully. "If Ukitake's disease is going to keep flaring up like this, he might not be particularly useful to Aizen. Maybe Szayel would be willing to chance giving me a third." He had been controlling his two pets rather well. Of course, they hardly ever tested him. But why would they? If Shunsui somehow managed to break Starrk's control he would place both the Kyoraku clan and his young family in mortal danger. "I – woah!" Sanae ran into the room with a loud shriek, Lilinette close behind. They'd been having their own meal together, Lilinette feeding the small child.

"Got yoooou!" Lilinette crowed as she caught the little girl, lifting her into the air. Sanae laughed loudly and they all smiled at the sight.

"Chase! Chase!" She shouted and Nanao gently reproved her.

"Indoor voice." That was something they'd been trying to teach her. Sanae could be very loud. Of course, she was only a baby. Lilinette made a face before putting her down.

"Eww, stinky! Go to Uncle Starrk, he'll change you." She told the little girl who laughed and ran to her arrancar uncle. Starrk leaned away, wincing as he caught the strong whiff.

"Oh sweet kami!" His sense of smell was many times better than any shinigami's. "Come on Sanae, I'll fix you up." She looked very happy as he lifted her into his arms. "Unless someone else wants to take this?" He gave the other two at the table a hopeful look but Shunsui laughed.

"Oh no, this is all for you!" He said as Nanao just smiled. Starrk sighed and carried the little girl off to change her diaper, Lilinette skipping behind him.

Being an uncle did have a few disadvantages.

* * *

"You are so beautiful." Starrk murmured into Nanao's ear. She smiled up at him from where she was spread invitingly on the cushions.

In his opinion, pregnancy had been kind to her body. There were a few stretch marks on her belly and her breasts were a touch fuller than they had been, and her left one was a bit lower. Sanae had favored that side over the other, causing a bit of lopsidedness. Starrk thought that minor imperfection was quite adorable.

"Indeed you are." Shunsui said, his voice warm with desire as he began gently exploring their woman. Starrk smiled and went down between her legs. Right now, they were both intent on pleasing Nanao. Their own pleasure would come soon.

Starrk nuzzled Nanao's thighs, gently licking and teasing the sensitive skin. Glancing up, he saw Kyoraku was kissing Nanao, gently stroking one of her nipples with his thumb as he cupped that mound of flesh. Smiling to himself, Starrk slowly, teasingly ran his tongue through her folds, finding her clit and gently stimulating that sensitive point. Nanao arched a little, separating from Shunsui with a small cry. Starrk heard Kyoraku's chuckle, as he glanced down to see what the arrancar was up to, but didn't lift his head. Giving Nanao oral pleasure was something he greatly enjoyed.

There was no hesitation in her now, no remorse or pain. Only passion, uncorrupted by anything else. Starrk hadn't even released his pheromones tonight. This was natural, the way it should be. Between the two of them, it didn't take them long to reduce her to breathless panting. Starrk felt it as her inner muscles clenched, the rippling against his tongue as she found her release. It intoxicated him, the feel and scent of her so close.

Starrk pulled away from her, watching as she gasped, her face adorably flushed and her hair disarrayed as she snuggled up to Shunsui. Stroking her skin with one hand, he asked them both.

"What should we do tonight?" Without the rut clouding his mind, Starrk was far more amenable to letting his slaves pick their sexual positions and preferences. It was Nanao who responded.

"I want to feel you both." She said and Starrk felt a touch surprised. That was an unusual request. Nanao didn't like having them both in her vagina at once, it was an uncomfortable stretch for her. She actually preferred anal, when they did this at all.

"Oh Nanao-chan, how dirty." Shunsui gently teased her before kissing her, deeply. "Mmm, I would love that. Starrk, get on your back." Swallowing back a bit of drool at the thought, Starrk did that. They had a very large bed, meant to accommodate this sort of thing.

Soon Nanao was riding him. Starrk watched her breasts bounce, the beautiful motion entrancing him. Then Shunsui joined them and Nanao moaned as her ass was parted, her other partner's cock slipping into that tight space. Shunsui's groan was music to both their ears and Starrk gripped Nanao's hips, enjoying it as they slowly found their rhythm. Soon the three of them were moving in harmony and the expression on Nanao's face was one of bliss. They didn't do this too often but she always enjoyed it when they did.

"Nanao, oh my beautiful Nanao-chan…" Shunsui murmured in her ear and Starrk gasped before adding his voice.

"God, Nanao, you feel so good…" She felt heavenly, her insides holding him like they'd been made for it. He simply could not get enough.

"Shunsui… Starrk…" Her voice was drenched in desire and both the men responded, speeding their thrusts with a harmony that only long practice could achieve. "Ah! Oh…" She whimpered, her hands resting on Starrk's chest as she half-closed her eyes, savoring the incredible pleasure they were both bringing to her.

In the light of the moon, their bodies meshed together, slowly building each other up to a powerful orgasm. Nanao was the first, stimulated almost unbearably by her double penetration. She cried out, her body trembling between the two men as her inner walls flexed. Starrk cried out, following her a moment later, stars exploding behind his eyes. Shunsui was the last, but it didn't take him long… he came with a heavy cry, his deep voice rising in pleasure. When they were done there was a moment of tired bliss before Nanao frowned and squirmed. Shunsui took the hint, easing out of her body so she could leave Starrk.

"Ah, kami, that was wonderful." Shunsui sounded tired but very pleased. Starrk smiled, feeling wonderfully content with what they had done.

"It really was." He agreed before moving onto his side. That was how he always preferred to sleep. Nanao settled in beside him and Shunsui was behind her, an arm comfortably around her waist. Starrk sometimes wondered… did his pets care for him now, really? He knew they loved each other, deeply, but their feelings for him had to be more ambivalent. With the link he had to their minds he could get an idea and he thought they liked him now but… he couldn't quite be sure. Shaking aside that thought, he closed his eyes to sleep.

He would never ask that question.

* * *

With the welfare of his pets in mind, Starrk began investigating the possibility of acquiring a third slave.

Not that he wanted Juushiro for himself. Starrk could have taken him once, but he'd picked Kyoraku instead. He simply found Shunsui's rugged good looks more attractive. And the prospect of dominating the man who'd very nearly defeated him, well, that had been good too. Besides, Lilinette had disliked the white haired taichou for taunting her. Starrk had let himself be swayed by that as well.

Now, he had even less interest in Juushiro's sexual abilities. Starrk was absolutely certain that anything Ukitake could do for him, Shunsui and Nanao could do better. He was only thinking about taking the man to ease his pet's distress.

He started with Unohana, making a few careful hints about his intentions. It took a bit of careful persuading but she finally told him about Juushiro's condition. It wasn't good. The brainwashing worked very well on most but it was not doing too well with Ukitake. His attacks had steadily been getting more violent and the last had been the worst. They thought he would live but in addition to his disease, he'd contracted pneumonia. Unohana thought that his mental state was making it harder for his body to fight off the disease.

Starrk had a few questions about that. He didn't want an insane, broken slave. Unfortunately, Unohana's grim expression and the few things she would impart to him made it seem likely. Starrk wasn't too surprised. But if anyone could put Juushiro back together, surely it would be Shunsui. They had been separated for so long…

Armed with the information, Starrk approached Szayel. The former Octava was more than willing to help him in return for a certain concession.

"…I have to discuss this with my pets." Starrk said firmly. Szayel frowned, clearly wondering why he would need their input. "I'm only doing this for them. They'll be the ones to say if they want to pay your price." He was fairly sure they would but given that this wasn't really for him in the first place, he needed to ask. Szayel adjusted his glasses, slightly annoyed.

"Well, you have time. He'll need to survive his current illness and be well for me to readjust him." The scientist said and Starrk winced at the thought. He could only imagine Shunsui's pain if Juushiro died. There was absolutely no way he could affect that, though.

Making his way home, he found that Shunsui was busy with his duties as clan head. Starrk was vague on that… it seemed quite boring to the arrancar… but he knew Shunsui might not be back until fairly late. Something about a formal dinner with the Shihoin clan.

"What did Szayel say?" Nanao asked as she fed Sanae some soup. The little girl could feed herself some things, but not anything too messy. Starrk smiled as he watched them before responding.

"He'll do his best to convince Aizen that Ukitake needs to be retired, for his health, and that I am capable of taking him." That was a key point. If not for that, Aizen would likely just keep using Juushiro until his performance suffered too badly. Then he would be 'retired' in a very messy fashion. "He'll also push it as an experiment… to see how well I take to having three, how easy it is to return one of the 'altered' shinigami back to a normal state, and so on. But he has a condition." Starrk cautioned as Nanao looked hopeful. "He – ah." With excellent timing, Shunsui entered the room, Lilinette at his heels. She'd gone with him to dinner because, for a reason known only to himself and possibly a god far above, Shunsui had invited her.

"Hey Starrk! That was so much fun! This guy just about bust a blood vessel when I juggled the rolls!" She said cheerfully and Starrk blinked before looking at Shunsui. He was smiling widely. Had he invited Lilinette so she could annoy people? It suddenly seemed likely to him.

"Oh… I see." Starrk said weakly. Lilinette could be a handful normally. If Kyoraku had been riling her up… ugh. "Um… I spoke to Szayel." That made Lilinette look at him curiously as Shunsui lost his smile. "He's willing to help us but only if we allow him to impregnate Nanao with my seed." He said, feeling… he wasn't sure what. Apprehensive? He was certainly a bit worried about their reactions. He heard Nanao gasp but most of his attention was on Shunsui. The other man met his gaze and nodded slowly, his expression serious.

"How do you feel about that, Starrk?" Shunsui asked and Starrk blinked. How did HE feel about it? Lilinette answered for him.

"Duh! We've always wanted a pup!" She said and Shunsui smiled at her but shook his head.

"I don't think that's entirely the truth, Lilinette." He said gently and Starrk swallowed. He'd forgotten how old and clever Shunsui was. "Starrk? How do you really feel about having a child?"

"What?! Why wouldn't he – Starrk?" Lilinette looked up as he rested a hand on her helmet. He smiled at her for a moment, trying to reassure her before he looked up, meeting Shunsui's eyes.

"I am… afraid." He admitted as Lilinette stared at him in baffled wonder. "There was… an unfortunate experience in our past. Lilinette can't remember but I do." That had made him happy to let them take the risk. And in his mind, having a child was a great risk indeed.

"What? What happened? Starrk!" Lilinette demanded, tugging on his arm. He flinched slightly as the dark memories welled out of a deep pit in his mind. "Tell me Starrk! What happened to us?"

"Ah, Lilinette…" Starrk took a deep breath before trying to explain. "Long ago, we were one hollow. That hollow was female and just once, we managed to mate." Starrk remembered the pain of it. "Our… our release killed our partner. We thought he might have been able to live but he didn't. Somehow, he still seeded us." Starrk could just barely remember the joy of carrying a pup. It was greatly overshadowed by the suffering. "It was born… not right. It died very quickly." Starrk put a hand over his face, closing his eyes. "It hurts." He whispered. Even his broken, empty heart could still feel pain. That tiny little body, the infant that had tried to suckle for the few days it had lived… how it hurt. There was a brief silence until Sanae broke it.

"Mama?" She asked, not understanding why the adults around her seemed so sad. "Unca Starr'?" She said and he lowered his hand, smiling gently at her. Just looking at her eased the ache in his soul.

"It's alright Sanae." He said softly as Nanao patted her on the head with a smile and fed her a bit more soup. She quickly lost interest in the feelings around her, interested in the flavors. "Truthfully, I love being an uncle. A child of my own… it would hurt more, if…" He let the words trail off before taking a deep breath. "But it is still your decision. I will not stand in the way. And I do want a child, despite my fears." The thought of finally holding his own offspring… it would mean so much to him.

"Hm. I would do anything to save Juushiro… Nanao?" Shunsui asked and she looked up from Sanae with a smile.

"I wouldn't mind. Honestly, I thought it would eventually happen naturally." She said lightly and Starrk nodded. Given the way they had sex, that was certainly possible. Although another child from Shunsui was equally likely. "How does he want to do this, though?" She sounded concerned and with good reason, given the six months of rut they'd gone through.

"Not like last time. He wants to do artificial insemination." He said and she nodded thoughtfully. "He had some rather sarcastic things to say about the likelihood of my managing things without it." Starrk sighed to himself as he remembered. "If I hadn't been asking him for a favor…" But Szayel had known he had the Primera where he wanted him. Shunsui laughed as Nanao smiled.

"Then it's decided! Thank you, Starrk. I know you don't particularly want to do this." Shunsui said and Starrk shrugged.

"I don't mind. And I'm sure your friend wouldn't mind changing diapers for me." From what he'd heard, Juushiro loved children. "It might be good for him." Sanae might help to heal the mental damage the man had no doubt suffered. Shunsui nodded.

"Yes, he'll love her." For a moment he sounded melancholy and Starrk could guess why. Jushiro had not been interested in their daughter at all, which was very much not like him.

Perhaps now, it would change.

* * *

Things progressed reasonably well after that.

Shunsui was allowed to go to Juushiro's side and explain what they intended to do. His old friend was not distressed at all, particularly when he was told Aizen had approved the move. Shunsui hoped that deep inside, the real Juushiro would embrace the possibility of freedom and recover more swiftly from the illness.

It seemed to work. Before the week was out, he was well enough for Szayel to begin the process. None of them were sure what it entailed, but a few days later Starrk was called in so Juushiro could be mentally linked to him. When he saw the man, Starrk winced a little. He looked absolutely wretched, staring at the ceiling with empty, haunted eyes.

Juushiro didn't say much to him but when he got the man home to Shunsui and Nanao, there was a tearful reunion. Shunsui held Juushiro close as he sobbed, releasing all his pent up pain. Starrk could feel it but deliberately tried to block it out. Juushiro's emotions were a bit too painful, even for his empty heart. For the foreseeable future, the shattered man would be having regular appointments with a counsellor at the Fourth. Just from the little that was leeching past his blocking, Starrk was sure he would need it.

The one thing that really helped Juushiro was Sanae. The sight of the little girl brought a halting, hesitant smile to his face. And even Lilinette helped, a bit. She still didn't like Juushiro for his treatment of her but she could see the shinigami had been more than punished. She even tried to be nice to him, in her own way.

"I notice you haven't touched him." Shunsui said to him quietly one day. Starrk looked up from the finger painting he was helping Sanae with. She was too young to understand and they weren't using any crude words, anyway.

"I don't intend to." He said after a moment and Shunsui cocked an eyebrow at him. Starrk flushed a little. His pets still thought of him as a very sexual person. "He's far too fragile." Starrk didn't really think Juushiro could take much abuse. And using his pheromones might not help. Juushiro had been completely out of control for so long, Starrk thought that might trigger some kind of relapse. "Honestly, I'm not very attracted to him." Maybe that was a bit cruel to Juushiro but he seemed more like the kind uncle type to Starrk. That didn't perk his libido up at all. "…Is he interested?" He asked and heard Shunsui choke.

"Ah, no. He's into women." He said after a moment and Starrk looked over to see he was smiling, amused. "Although I admit, I thought I was only into women until you showed me the other side of the coin." Shunsui said, looking away thoughtfully. "I never imagined I would like it so much." He admitted and Starrk yelped as Sanae slammed her hand onto the paper, making the paint splatter her partner.

"Sanae! Ow!" He complained as she grinned. He pulled up his shirt, using the fabric to clean off his face. "Now I'm all dirty. Shunsui, can you look after her for a moment while I change?" His shirt was a mess. Shunsui laughed.

"Gladly! Why don't we try the yellow paint, sweetie?" He asked and Sanae giggled, more than willing to try a new color. Starrk smiled as he left the room.

Of course, it didn't take long for Szayel to call in his favor. The first thing he had to do was harvest eggs from Nanao. That was a slightly involved process and Szayel was kind enough to offer eggs from Unohana instead, but Starrk declined. He was deeply suspicious of the offer and wondered why Szayel had some of her eggs in the first place. It made him pity the woman. Nemu too, but she was probably used to that kind of treatment. From what he'd heard, Kurotsuchi had been as bad or worse.

Once Nanao's eggs were collected, Szayel had to inseminate them and then implant them. It took three tries for it to work, but when it did Starrk was very surprised at the result.

"Twins? Are you sure?" He asked as Lilinette bounced in excitement. He looked at Nanao but she was every bit as shocked as he was. Szayel nodded, quite pleased.

"Fraternal twins. I know that twin shinigami are quite unusual, but with this kind of insemination it becomes far more likely. It's still very early, however." He examined the readouts thoughtfully. "Intriguing… I'll want to keep a close watch on this. Please come back in a week."

"Certainly." This time, Starrk was willing to let Szayel be around Nanao. He clearly wanted this pregnancy to succeed. Of course, would it? That wasn't entirely up to Szayel. Starrk tried not to think about it, just enjoying Lilinette's enthusiasm and Nanao's quiet happiness. She wasn't as overjoyed as she'd been to be carrying Sanae, but she did feel very pleased at the news of the coming twins.

That night, they decided to do something different.

"Shunsui." Starrk murmured in the other man's ear, preparing him with practiced ease. Shunsui groaned softly, his body tensing as those well lubed fingers breached him. Even as Starrk worked on him he devoted his attention to Nanao, exploring her body with skilled hands.

Nanao was lying on the bed, on her back. Shunsui was above her, kneeling between her legs. Starrk was behind him. It was going to be another threesome tonight and he honestly couldn't wait.

Starrk released his pheromones, seeing both his pets react. Nanao's gasp was followed by Shunsui's full body tremble. Starrk licked his male pet's throat, enjoying the feel of his lust through their link. As he did he found the mans' prostate, lovingly stroking that sensitive spot. Shunsui nuzzled Nanao's throat, gently sucking the tender skin as he explored her breasts. She arched into his touches, panting slightly as the pheromones did their magic.

Shunsui knew exactly when they were ready. The sound Nanao made when he slid into her, pushing past her fleshy lips, made Starrk swallow hard. He was a next, taking Shunsui in a smooth, practiced move. Caught between the two of them, the man made a soft, indescribable sound. Then they began to move.

Starrk set the pace, deeply enjoying the feeling of being sheathed in his pet. He was so hot and tight… it felt marvelous, having those hot walls squeezing his cock. He took it slow, giving them time to fully experience the pleasure.

"Sweet kami. Nanao, Starrk…" Shunsui's voice was heavy with pleasure and Starrk nuzzled his neck, finding a good place to suck. Nanao gasped and Starrk looked over Shunsui's shoulder, seeing her face. She was looking at them both, her face full of pleasure and her lips half-parted.

"More, please." She moaned and Starrk obliged, speeding the pace. Shunsui responded enthusiastically, taking Nanao more firmly. Her legs wrapped around Shunsui, finding Starrk as well and holding them close. It felt so tremendously good…

Starrk followed his instincts, gradually increasing his speed and force until he was riding Shunsui strongly, grinding against his buttocks as he claimed Nanao, whispering endearments in her ear. She was gasping, her face flushed and her expression completely undone.

Finally, they could take no more. Again, it was Nanao who came first, which was what they both wanted. She cried out, her body trembling and arching as she quivered and tightened around Kyoraku. Shunsui's voice harmonized with hers, as he jerked and came in a rush. Starrk followed them both, burying his face against Shunsui's neck and breathing in his scent as he emptied himself into the other man.

"Mmm. That was so good." He murmured into Shunsui's ear before he slowly pulled away, leaving his body with a soft, wet sound. Shunsui sighed softly, gently pulling away from a breathless, boneless Nanao.

"Yes, it was." He agreed, sounding tired and pleased. They settled together on the bed, Nanao between them. It didn't take long for them to get to sleep although Starrk lifted his head for a moment, checking on Lilinette. Little Sanae slept with his other half and now, Juushiro as well. Being surrounded by children was very good for him. Satisfied that everyone was fine, he dropped his head to the pillow and let himself drift away.

* * *

It was a week later that Starrk heard the sound of quiet, muffled sobbing.

He hesitated before peeking into the room. Not to his surprise, the sound was coming from Juushiro. Shunsui and Nanao were both gone for the evening, taking Sanae to some kind of noble event. It had been described as boring and formal so Starrk and Lilinette had opted out. Juushiro could have gone but he had chosen not too. Apparently, his family might be there and he didn't feel that he could face them yet. He'd written them letters, apologizing for his actions, but he felt there was no way he could ever truly make amends.

Starrk hesitated, wondering what to do as he felt the other man's pain through their mental link. He was not a terribly empathetic person. Even feeling the emotions of his pets, he often didn't understand why they were feeling things. Sighing to himself, he decided he needed to do something.

Juushiro didn't even notice him entering the room, which was a sign of his distress. He was powerful and old and should not have failed to notice someone as powerful as Starrk. Kneeling beside him, he gently pulled the man into his arms and felt Juushiro stiffen with a shocked gasp.

"Wh-why…?" Tear filled brown eyes met his and then widened. Starrk felt his sudden panic and frowned. "No…!" Understanding came and he sighed, annoyed.

"Despite the rumors to the contrary, I am not actually desperate to hump anything that comes across my path." Starrk said, annoyed. His behavior during the rut had not been discreet. The rumors about him were lurid. Juushiro had likely heard them, when he'd still been controlled. "I am just trying to comfort you." He said more gently and Juushiro swallowed, looking away.

"Nothing can do that." He whispered and Starrk could only imagine. The deaths of his brothers and his former Third seats had to be killing him inside. "How could you do this to us?" That question contained so much anguish. Starrk sighed, gently brushing a bit of that long white hair with one hand.

"You are asking the wrong person, Juushiro. I'm a hollow." He said softly and the man sniffed, rubbing his face. "You understand?"

"I suppose I do. I had… arrancar troops, answering to me." Juushiro said softly. "You only care about your own pack. Nothing else." Starrk nodded. That about summed it up. He would expand on it, though.

"Hollows eat each other. Packs form so they may hunt in a group… caring about others beyond that group would be insane and self-defeating." He said and Juushiro nodded with a soft sigh. "Caring about what happens to shinigami would be absurd. If you truly want an answer to that question, you should ask Aizen. But I don't think you would like the answer." If Aizen answered truthfully, it would likely give Juushiro no comfort.

"Nevermind. It doesn't matter. What's done is done…" His grief was so poignant. Starrk held him and Juushiro let him. "It was like a horrible nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. I… could feel what was happening, although sometimes it was hazy. And I couldn't control anything." He sounded so anguished. "Why couldn't they just have put us to sleep or… something…?"

"Szayel tried that. When you were completely unaware, you could not use your shikai." He said softly and Juushiro closed his eyes in pain. "Or any of your other skills. The duality he came up with was the answer." And of course, the mental pain of his subjects did not matter to Szayel. It mattered even less to Aizen, if that was possible. "I am sorry." He could empathize to a degree. The thought of being forced to hurt Shunsui and Nanao, even little Sanae… Starrk would prefer to die first.

"It's not your fault. You're just a hollow." The bitterness in his voice would have offended the Espada if it had not been so much the truth. He just held the man, giving what comfort he could. Finally Juushiro pulled away and Starrk could sense that his pain was under control, for now at least. "Thank you. That… helped, a bit." He said and Starrk gave him a gentle smile.

"If you want to play with her, Lilinette is in the gardens." He offered and Juushiro's eyes lightened at the thought of the arrancar child. "She might like some candy." Lilinette would undoubtedly love some candy. Laughing softly, Ukitake pulled himself to his feet.

"I'll go see her. Thank you, Starrk." He said before leaving the room. Starrk glanced around and saw a wonderful spot where the sun was hitting the ground. Grabbing a cushion, he went over and made himself at home for a nap.

That was how he preferred to spend his afternoon.


	22. AU - Vampires and Werewolves

Shunsui sighed as he gazed at the mossy ceiling of his new home.

For almost five hundred years, it had been his duty to hunt monsters. Keeping the people safe from werewolves, vampires and other supernatural ills had been his place in the world and frankly, he had enjoyed it. The creatures that haunted Soul Society were often vicious and cunning, dark and devious. They fed on humans so they had to die. That was all there was to it.

That had been before Aizen Sosuke had turned traitor and raised up an army of the beasts in an effort to take over the kingdom. And he'd done it. Shunsui had no idea how he'd found so many powerful supernaturals but the army he'd assembled had been terrifyingly strong. Worst of all, any captives could be turned, adding to Aizen's ranks. He was a perfect example of that.

Glancing over his body, he could see the tribal tattoos that had been inscribed on his right arm and shoulder. He was a werewolf now, and the newest member of the Coyote pack. Sighing, he rubbed them for a moment before gazing at the ceiling again.

The earthen burrow was surprisingly pleasant. Shunsui enjoyed the cool earth, the damp air and the scent of the moss. If he tried, he could easily scent his pack mates, sleeping, talking or playing. A few were having sex and he could smell that too, which made him blush a bit. The olfactory abilities of a werewolf took some getting used to.

In the past few months, he'd had plenty of things to get used to. Werewolf packs rarely took new members and there had been an initiation period, where all the other pack members got his measure and tested his worth. After that, Coyote Starrk had taken him and begun training him personally. The powerful, lazy werewolf was teaching him how to control his inner wolf while still allowing it to be part of his mind and life. That was a critical point. Simply denying his wolf would cause it to rebel and eventually, drive him to madness. Being a successful werewolf required embracing the instincts, yet controlling them.

"You are brooding again." That warm voice said and Shunsui turned his head to see Coyote Starrk. The old monster was looking at him thoughtfully, his grey eyes calm and deep with ageless wisdom. "What are you thinking of?"

"Just… what I am." Shunsui said after a moment, directing his gaze to the ceiling. "I never would have guessed it would be like this." Most of the werewolves he'd put down had been insane monsters. Komamura had been werewolf-like, but critically different… his family history involved a curse and was not contagious. That was why he'd been accepted in Soul Society, despite his differences. But real werewolves… Shunsui heard Starrk sigh.

"You thought we were nothing but evil monsters." He said, quite accurately, and Shunsui looked away. "Do not regret. It is what it is."

"How can you feel that way?" He asked, remembering something that made his heart hurt. Over a hundred years ago, Soul Society had been growing. The peasantry had expanded into new lands and in so doing, run into conflict with a werewolf clan. They hadn't even known the wolves were there until they tried to take the forest… and Shunsui had led the team that had exterminated the evil monsters. Or so he'd thought of them, at the time. After all, they had killed and eaten the peasants. A barbaric, horrific act, he'd thought then.

Now, though, he knew that werewolves saw things differently. They did not go out of their way to hunt humans and unlike vampires, did not require anything from them to live. Werewolves were generally content to predate deer and even raise cattle and chickens for their needs. However, if they killed a human they saw no reason to let the body go to waste. They ate their own dead, as well. It was considered to be a gesture of respect, to them. To reject a kill was to say it was tainted in some way.

"I am much older than you, Kyoraku Shunsui. Humans will never see us for what we are. To them, we will always be monsters." Starrk said with a small shrug. "And in some measure, we are. Although some are more monstrous than others." He said and Shunsui nodded with a sigh. Vampires, with their need to feed, were more innately destructive than the werewolves. "Do not regret what you did. If you had died beneath the claws of those wolves, they would not have regretted your passing."

"Hm." Shunsui shifted, feeling mildly uncomfortable. Like an itch in the back of his mind… Starrk's voice focused him.

"You need something. Meditate on the wolf. What do you need?" Starrk's voice was gentle and Shunsui struggled to focus himself, to determine what his body and instincts were telling him. The scent of the other wolf reached him and Shunsui groaned to himself as he realized what his inner wolf wanted.

"…Sex." He growled out the word. Starrk's smile was amused and Shunsui glowered at him. "I don't need it." The inner wolf might want to mate, but he could deny the urge. Starrk's smile dimmed.

"Shunsui, we have discussed this. What have I told you?" The older werewolf said and Shunsui sighed to himself.

"Not to waste willpower on foolish things." He knew the other man was right. The wolf could only be denied so long, with catastrophic consequences if they became locked in contention. "The wolf must be allowed to share and I must satisfy my needs." That was true of all werewolves. Needs had to be satisfied. "Sex is a need like any other." That was the part that was hard for him. "…I miss Juushiro." He whispered. His best friend and lover was gone, taken by Ulquiorra to become a vampire. Traditionally, werewolves and vampires were enemies. At best, they had nothing to do with each other. Starrk sighed, shifting slightly.

"You can deny the need if you wish. I will not force you." Starrk said softly and Shunsui appreciated the consideration. As the pack leader, Starrk could have pinned him down and forced him anytime he wished. He had, a few times, when things were new and he'd been in danger of losing control. Shunsui had forgiven him when he'd realized how critical maintaining the balance truly was. The older wolf had probably saved his life.

"…No, you're right." He sighed and rolled on his side, looking at the other wolf. "Mate me, Starrk." He said, surrendering to the inevitable. Coyote Starrk just looked at him for a moment before nodding. His eyes were dull and empty as they kissed.

For Shunsui, that strange dichotomy between the look in Starrk's eyes and the skill of his hands and lips was unnerving. He knew why it was, though. The wolves were very talkative and he knew that in the distant past, Coyote Starrk had been cruelly hurt and left for dead. The nature of that wound had been intimate beyond words and now any intercourse caused him pain. Yet, he did it anyway, both to keep his own wolf under control and to teach young werewolves like himself.

Starrk was very skillful, though. Shunsui groaned as his cock was stimulated, Starrk's hand caressing him in slow, lazy strokes. The other werewolf gradually increased the pressure until he was keening softly and thrusting into that teasing hand. Hooded grey eyes watched him, judging his reactions and Shunsui groaned as that hand abruptly pulled away.

"Submit to me." Starrk's voice was deeper than usual, full of his own need. Shunsui couldn't help but lift his lip in a half-snarl at that calm order.

This was the one part he hated, more than anything else. He was not into being the bottom and his wolf, if anything, felt even more strongly about it. Some wolves were naturally more dominant than others and Shunsui could tell that his was extremely dominant. That posed a huge problem for him, though. As the newest werewolf and still being trained, he was the omega of the pack. No one would submit to him and his wolf was too proud to submit to anyone but the pack leader. Even that was only done grudgingly and Shunsui whined softly as Starrk gave him an admonishing nip. He lifted his chin, baring his throat for the older werewolf and shivered as fangs lightly skimmed the skin. Satisfied with the display of dominance, Starrk's hand began preparing his entrance.

Shunsui shivered, relaxing as a warm cream was spread in his anal cavity. It was really very pleasant, tingling gently and enhancing his arousal. He could feel the wolf inside rising behind his eyes, sharing the experience as Starrk kissed him. The kiss was tender and intimate, their tongues tangling as they explored each other's mouths. Shunsui couldn't help but savor the feeling, the flavor of the other wolf on his tongue. Starrk tasted like whisky and bitters, strong and intoxicating.

Shunsui groaned as his legs were spread, his hips hitched up and a cushion slid beneath them. Then Starrk was easing inside him and he grit his teeth at the burn. A whine escaped his throat as he dropped his head back, an instinctive gesture of submission. Starrk took advantage of it, slowly sucking his throat as he began to take him in a careful, practiced rhythm.

"Shunsui." The way Starrk said his name… he almost thought it meant something. But he carefully avoided looking into the other werewolves' eyes. Seeing that dull emptiness would break the illusion that the man truly cared about him.

"Starrk." Shunsui groaned, his nails digging into fine skin, tearing through and letting the blood spill. That inflamed them both and Starrk began to go harder, riding him faster and hitting his prostate with every thrust. "Kami!" He watched as the blood slid down Starrk's arm, over his tattoos. He felt the urge to taste it and followed the desire, lapping up the hot fluid. Starrk growled and nipped him, reminding him of his place but Shunsui didn't stop, just uttering a small little whine of apology. He needed this as much as the sex… the fresh blood that was so full of power…

Starrk bit his throat then and Shunsui gasped as the other werewolf drank his blood in turn. It was a flesh wound, nothing important, but it reminded him of his place in the pack while inflaming his lusts. He jerked his hips back, desperately trying to get more from the other man. Inside his head, the wolf howled and Shunsui's eyes glazed over as his orgasm abruptly took him. His whole body shook with the force of it, his seed splattering between the two of them. Starrk suddenly threw back his head and howled, his power beating through the air as he found his release. Shunsui responded in kind, not caring that it was insubordinate. He was not weak and he refused to act like it.

"Mmm… you do enjoy pushing your luck, don't you?" Starrk murmured in his ear but Shunsui could hear the satisfaction in his voice. "I really should hurt you for that."

"You won't." He returned, feeling pleased with himself. He knew Starrk fairly well by now and knew the other wolf wouldn't hurt him for something so minor. There was a soft sigh as the elder werewolf gently pulled away from his body.

"You're right, I won't. But remember not to do that in front of an audience. You'll make me look weak and that is not something any pack leader can afford." Starrk reminded him and Shunsui nodded. Sometimes, he wondered why the other man was so lenient with him. He suspected that Starrk felt a bit uncomfortable with his role in defeating and turning him. It wasn't the usual way werewolf clans found recruits.

"I remember." He said, watching as Starrk cleaned them both off with a bit of moss. The calm, relaxed look on the other man's face showed that the mating had been good for him, as well. When he was done, Starrk settled beside him and Shunsui didn't object. Werewolves enjoyed being close to each other and he was no exception. Breathing in Starrk's scent, he settled in to sleep.

There was no reason to do anything else.

* * *

Shunsui took his seat beside Starrk, wishing he was somewhere else.

The Espada often took attendants with them when they went to see Aizen in person and attend their meetings. Unfortunately, because his wolf was so psychotically dominant, Shunsui had to come with him. There was no one else in the pack that his wolf would recognize as a superior and that meant that until he took his place in the pack, he had to be with Starrk at all times.

Which meant he was sitting in during the Espada meeting. It was physically painful, having to look at Aizen. Also, Gin's smirk made him long to shove the man's teeth down his throat. His wolf didn't help either, feeding on his rage and urging him to tear their throats out with his fangs. Moments like this made him glad for Starrk's help. If he'd been wasting willpower on holding the wolf back from other urges, he might have snapped. And as outnumbered as he was, he would be dead.

Instead of committing suicide he slouched in the chair beside Starrk, closing his eyes and pretending to nap. Starrk slept through meetings all the time and Shunsui saw no reason not to follow his lead. Eventually he did manage to doze, only to be nudged awake by an elbow in his side.

"Mmm?" That was strange. Starrk had never wanted him to pay attention before. Shunsui blinked, pulling his attention to the conversation. Ulquiorra was asking for something?

"If you want help from my wolves you will have to pay a price." Starrk said lazily as Ulquiorra stared at him. The vampire was too emotionless to ever show irritation, but Shunsui fancied he could smell it.

"This is for the good of all." He said, glancing at Aizen. He was just watching the byplay with a small smile.

"Perhaps you could tell us what you want, Starrk?" He suggested and the werewolf yawned before shrugging slightly.

"Just a chew toy for my young wolf." Starrk said and Shunsui blinked. "That new vampire of yours. What was his name? Ukitake?" Ulquiorra stiffened as Shunsui felt a wild hope. But how could Starrk…?

"He is not yet trained." Ulquiorra said frigidly and Starrk yawned.

"So? I can take care of it. Nothing to worry about." He was completely blasé about the thought of taking in a vampire. "I know how vampires are taught, remember? I've hosted one in the clan before. My wolves will put up with it if I ask them to." Shunsui swallowed, gripping the arms of his chair tightly. Starrk was actually going to…? Vampires and werewolves were usually mortal enemies! Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed and a bit of anger actually got through his emotionless mask. Then Aizen spoke.

"Ulquiorra, the way you train your vampires is very… intense. I highly doubt Juushiro is thriving under your regimen." He said idly and Ulquiorra refused to respond. Shunsui wondered, with a bit of dread, what that meant. "Surely you can give one almost certain failure to Starrk? I would like to see what he can do with him."

"…Very well." Ulquiorra acquiesced with ill grace. "But he will not be delivered to you until this matter is resolved."

"Of course." Starrk agreed immediately. "I will summon some of my wolves for support. Shunsui is not ready for this." That made him feel grateful. He didn't know what was going on, exactly, but it likely involved suppressing an insurrection of some kind. He didn't want to slaughter his own people and the wolf within might use his feelings against him. Shunsui let the rest of the meeting wash over him, feeling a cautious hope.

Soon, he might see Juushiro again.

* * *

"Hrmph. They would deliver him like this." Starrk glowered at the black casket with the silver handles. Shunsui swallowed at the sight of it. What had they done to Juushiro? "Are they gone?"

"Yes, they're out." One of the fellow dominant wolves said. He was eyeing the casket thoughtfully. "Do you want to be alone with him?" Starrk ran a hand through his hair before sighing.

"Yes, it might be wise." The werewolf left immediately, relieved to go. Starrk looked at the casket for a moment longer before looking at him. Those grey eyes were cold and stern.

"Shunsui, remain back. Do not go forward, no matter what happens." He said firmly and Shunsui frowned at him. "Do not disobey me." Starrk's voice dropped to a warning growl, his power flaring around him. The deadly intent in it made him flinch slightly and against his will he uttered a soft, supplicating whine. Satisfied, Starrk reached down and flung open the coffin.

Shunsui gasped at the sight of what lay within. Juushiro looked like a corpse. And not a new one, but one that had been dead for weeks, shriveled and dry. Chains of silver, threaded with crosses, held him in place. His eyes were closed but as Shunsui watched, they opened. There was nothing rational in those brown orbs. Only a ravenous hunger.

"I must feed him. Annoying. Remember what I said. He would kill you now without even knowing." Starrk warned and Shunsui nodded. Now that he'd seen what they had done to Juushiro, he could believe it.

Starrk slashed his own arm and the vampire in the coffin made a sound. It was a soft, guttural groan that raised the hairs on Shunsui's arms. Starrk just looked at the vampire before offering his arm to the starving creature. Juushiro surged against the chains as much as he could, his fangs clashing at the flesh that was just out of reach. Starrk gripped white hair, growling and raising his power. It did nothing to intimidate the vampire – Juushiro was too far gone for that – but it did help to keep him in place. Starrk finally pressed his bleeding flesh against the vampire's lips and winced as fangs sank in. But he managed to prevent a deep, tearing wound, allowing only punctures. Juushiro tried to widen the wounds several times but every time, Starrk controlled him with the strength of his body and power. Then…

"Enough. Enough!" Starrk growled, working on getting the fangs out of his flesh. The white haired vampire clung on stubbornly. "Damned leech – enough!" Finally, he got himself free. Fangs clashed in the air as Juushiro desperately sought more of the life giving fluid. Starrk stepped back, breathing heavily. "Give him a few minutes to absorb that. The energy in it should be enough to revitalize him." He said as he tried to staunch his wound.

"Do you need help with that?" Shunsui asked and Starrk glanced up at him, his expression mildly pained. Then he nodded.

"If you could fetch me some moss…" He said and Shunsui nodded, getting that for him. They were working on binding the wounds when he heard a cough.

"What… happened…?" Shunsui looked towards Juushiro, wanting to run to his side but mindful of Starrk's command. To his utter relief, Juushiro was looking almost human. The horrible shrunken appearance had abated, the skin smoothing and the flesh plumping with the stolen blood and power. "Oh… no…" Juushiro was looking down at his silver bindings, his eyes wide with horror and panic on his face. Shunsui was going to go to him but a hard hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"No. Let me." Starrk said firmly before going to the coffin. He handled the incipient panic in a very direct and slightly brutal fashion, gripping Juushiro's hair and roughly forcing him to look away from the chains. "Are you rational?" He asked as brown eyes blinked at him. A pink tongue licked fangs and Starrk frowned.

"I… yes. Yes, I am." Juushiro's tone became more assured as he tried to glance around. His eyes widened as they fell on him. "Shunsui!" He attempted to sit up but the chains defeated him. Starrk looked at him consideringly for a moment before nodding.

"You will do, I think. Now…" Using some heavy cloths to shield his hands, Starrk began undoing and removing the chains. Shunsui wanted to help but he knew better. Werewolves became tougher to silver as they aged. Even with cloth over his hands, he would suffer terrible burns if he tried. Instead, he just spoke to his friend and lover.

"It's going to be fine Juu. You're going to be staying with us now." He said softly as Juushiro managed to sit up. "Starrk is going to help you." Shunsui had a great deal of faith in his pack leader. The patient way he'd worked with him in mastering the wolf had made an impression.

"Please, just kill me." Juushiro said, fixing his eyes on Starrk. The elder werewolf shook his head as Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. "Please!"

"I know this has been difficult for you. Ulquiorra is inflexible and does not tailor his lessons to each neonate." Starrk's voice was gentle as Shunsui swallowed. What had Juushiro been put through? "I once hosted a master vampire who was hiding from her enemies. She had two neonates with her and I observed them. I think I can help you, and Shunsui is here. Will you leave him again so soon?"

"I'll hurt him." Juushiro whispered and Shunsui snorted.

"I'm a werewolf Juu!" He said and his lover blinked, looking at his arm as if he'd only just now noticed the tattoos. Perhaps he had. "I can take anything you can give me."

"Not quite anything. But werewolves do tend to be more powerful than vampires, on an individual basis. That is why I am the Primera and Ulquiorra is the Quatro." Starrk said thoughtfully as Juushiro looked at him. Shunsui could already see an instinctive trust forming there. Starrk's air of quiet calm and great age affected everyone around him. "But it does not matter. I will be taking care of you both and you cannot harm me, with your new powers." Shunsui saw Juushiro's eyes dim at the reminder and felt a bit of pain himself. They had both lost their zanpakuto, their blessed swords. The things they were now could not wield them. "Will you give me a chance to make this right for you?" Starrk said, his tone very gentle. Juushiro swallowed before nodding.

"I will." He whispered. The last chain snapped free and Starrk helped him out of the coffin. "…I thought werewolves and vampires were mortal enemies, though. How…?"

"Mmm, that's putting it too strongly. Vampires are city dwellers while werewolves belong in the forest. Our enmity is more a tradition than anything." Starrk said and Shunsui nodded. This had already been explained to him. "Usually, the pack leader sets the tone. I dislike Ulquiorra but I can work with him and I've been on friendly terms with vampires before. The pack will accept this if I ask them to."

"They wouldn't dare do otherwise." Shunsui added and Starrk smiled at him. To his surprise it was a sad, melancholy expression. But whatever was behind it would remain unsaid as Starrk began taking Juushiro on a tour of his new home. The werewolves greeted him cautiously. Likely, many of them would be feeding the young vampire in the near future. It wasn't something they looked forward to, but they recognized the necessity. Starrk couldn't do it all himself, despite his power. Juushiro needed a certain amount of blood as well as reiatsu and Starrk could supply one, but not the other. Shunsui gently put an arm around Juushiro's waist as they explored, feeling the other stiffen for a moment before relaxing into the contact. Shunsui had no idea what training a vampire entailed, but he was willing to place his trust in Starrk.

Somehow, they would make this right for Juushiro.


	23. Employment Opportunities

Despite his terrible circumstances, Coyote Starrk thought that things could be much, much worse.

It had all started after his fall at the shinigami taichou's hands. He'd lay in the ruins, listening to Lilinette jeer at him for his failure. Neither of them had been worried that he would die. They had known there was no chance of that.

When an arrancar's mask was broken, they had to make a choice. It was largely instinctive. Almost all arrancar sacrificed a portion of their durability, giving up high speed regeneration for stronger hierro and more powerful cero. Starrk had not made that choice. No, he'd followed the same path as Ulquiorra and retained his regenerative abilities. And why not? He already had all the strength in the world.

The shinigami captain had come very, very close to ruining his internal organs. But he hadn't quite managed it and now, Starrk's body was attempting to fix the damage. And ultimately, it would, although with such a gruesome wound the process would be long and painful.

That turned out to be a good thing. When the shinigami had combed the wreckage for survivors, they had found him. Starrk hadn't been unconscious but in his nearly powerless state, he'd decided to pretend to be. And so he'd been mildly shocked when they had mislabeled him as a random numero, a fraccion at the most. Certainly his power was drained but that badly? Lilinette had been insulted but Starrk had spotted a potential in this.

The misidentification had continued all through his stay at the Twelfth. Starrk had done his very best to maintain it, of course. Keeping Lilinette within himself, he'd used her to help suppress his growing spiritual force. Along with Aizen's lessons in reiatsu control, he truly made himself seem like nothing but a Numero. The only people who would have known better never visited and through eavesdropping, Starrk realized they thought he was dead. There were some complaints from the one in charge, the horrifying man with the face paint, about his lack of powerful subjects. That gave Starrk an extra added incentive to keep his powers under wraps. He'd seen what the man did to his favorite 'test subjects.'

His stay still might have been horrifying but strangely, he remained completely untouched. All that happened to him was personality tests and a few researchers stopping by to ask him questions. One even played chess with him. Starrk was baffled by the conduct but wasn't about to say no to a reprieve from horrendous torture.

Finally, he found out why they were sparing him. It was not even remotely amusing and Starrk had quickly added the painted man to his 'kill if possible' list. Apparently, this place was always in need of funding and he'd hatched a plan for the more docile and powerless arrancar he captured. Starrk was actually outraged when his fate had been explained to him, although he'd hidden it very carefully under a mask of baffled hurt.

There were no laws about the treatment of hollows in Soul Society and unlike other hollows, they did not need to feed. That made arrancar ideal to be kept as slaves and pets. So they were being sold, to various buyers. With his good looks and gentle nature, Starrk was being sold to a very expensive whorehouse. Despite being assured of his docility, the place kept his reiatsu limiters firmly in place and often chained him, before the clients came. It was wise of them. Starrk had a very slow fuse but this was trying his patience. He hadn't had to endure anything like this in… well, forever. He'd been far too strong.

Fortunately, he was still a hollow and while multiple rapes would no doubt be traumatizing for a human or shinigami, to him they were a humiliating annoyance. He vastly preferred what was happening to him now to what the painted man would have done. And better still, his power was gradually rebuilding. He was just waiting now, waiting for it to be strong enough to break the collar and assure his escape from this wretched place. As he waited, he made a small list of people he would kill before he departed. Starrk didn't have much of a temper and his little black book was a small one. But it was a very, very black book indeed.

There were many people who would regret using him in such a way when this was over.

* * *

"You _what?!_" That exclamation was from Juushiro. He was the most appalled at the revelations that were occurring, but not even Soi Fon could fully keep the shock off her face. Mayuri just met them all with the complete assurance of someone who had consulted his legal team and knew he was fully covered.

"There are many precedents. Hollows have been used as 'guard dogs' on noble estates before. They've also been kept by shinigami on multiple occasions." He pointed out as all the taichou looked at him. "The main reason the practice was discontinued is because hollows must be fed and feeding them peasantry or prisoners was made illegal." There were frowns and a few winces around the table. They all knew that in the past, peasants had been considered the property of nobles and completely expendable. Yamamoto had played a large part in getting that ended, in fact. "Hunting other hollows is impractical. However, arrancar do not need to feed. They are ideal for such purposes."

"Mayuri, you sold one of them as a sexual slave!" Everyone knew about that now. The arrancar in question had staged an escape. The carnage had been surprisingly restrained, however. "How many did he kill?"

"Only six." Byakuya said calmly. His unit was investigating the crime scenes. "The manager of the whorehouse, three of the employees and two of the customers. Three of them were killed on the premise but the others, he hunted down." That was interesting to him. "There were many more he could have killed, yet spared. The deaths appear to be quite specific." The whole thing did not seem like mindless violence. The arrancar had served far more than two customers and the whorehouse had far more than three employees. "We are interviewing the other sex workers. From what little we have learned so far, the two clients killed were known for their liking of degrading sex." Apparently, the arrancar had taken offense to that.

"This arrancar that escaped. What did he look like? We should probably keep an eye out for him." Shunsui asked. All they knew right now was that the escapee was a numero and had already vanished, creating a garganta to Hueco Mundo as soon as his revenge was complete.

"I have a full report, complete with pictures." Mayuri pulled a folder out of his sleeves, laying it on the table and opening it. Then he passed a photograph to the taichou beside him, Toshiro. "The only name he would give was Wolf. His power was very low, approximately that of a seated officer. He seemed very calm and docile in nature. However, he was also rated as highly intelligent. I warned them to be careful…" The picture continued around the table as Mayuri spoke, until it reached Juushiro.

Everyone looked over at the gasp. The white haired taichou was staring at the picture in his hand with an expression of shock that quickly changed into horror.

"Juu? What is it?" Shunsui leaned over to look at the picture. "Oh sweet kami! MAYURI! What… how could you?!"

"What?" Kurotsuchi was taken aback by the sudden exclamation. "What is it?" He asked as Juushiro looked like he was having a minor heart attack.

"That's not a numero. It's Coyote Starrk, the Primera Espada." Shunsui growled and there was a sudden hum of conversation at the revelation. Mayuri looked utterly taken aback.

"But… he couldn't have been! His power was nowhere near that caliber! Admittedly, he was badly wounded when I received him but still…" Mayuri was suddenly flipping through his folder, looking for any anomalies. "There were a few oddities but all of the arrancar are unique – are you certain?" He was beginning to get upset, mostly because he'd allowed an Espada to slip through his fingers. Thoughts of the arrancar's possible revenge did not concern him. They were weighing heavily on Shunsui's mind, though.

"How dangerous is this arrancar?" Yamamoto interrupted the scientist, looking at Shunsui. He responded with a very sober expression.

"Extremely dangerous. His power was… if it hadn't been for Rose and Love's intervention, I might have lost. However, he was generally disinclined to kill." Shunsui said, remembering how the Espada had hit him with a point blank cero. Impressive as it had been, it hadn't been Starrk's full strength. If it had been, he would have died. "I'm a bit surprised at his actions… I wouldn't have guessed he had such a vengeful streak." Although from the sound of it, he'd been rather restrained, reserving his venom for those who had offended him the most. Shunsui swallowed a bit at the thought. That could easily include himself. He glanced at Juushiro and met his eyes, knowing his best friend was thinking the same thing.

"We must find him. Mayuri, you must have samples from him. Can you create some kind of tracker?" Yamamoto asked as Kurotsuchi muttered to himself.

"I will have to work on it. Kami, I can't believe I missed this!" He still wasn't sure how it had happened. How could the Espada have masked his power so thoroughly? "I must… please excuse me." Everyone let him go. Shunsui bit his lip, hoping Starrk really had returned to Hueco Mundo.

Although even if he had, the arrancar might return for his revenge.

* * *

Kyoraku would have been surprised to find that vengeance was the last thing on Coyote Starrk's mind.

He'd killed the manager of the whorehouse for the painful whippings he had received, when he was still learning to please the customers. He'd killed the three employees for similar reasons… one had forced him several times in a particularly degrading manner. The two customers had been both degrading and brutal with him. If he could have, Starrk would also have killed Kurotsuchi Mayuri, but that was mostly out of self-defense. He was afraid of the lunatic and what he would do if he captured the Espada a second time.

The thought of killing Kyoraku Shunsui or Ukitake Juushiro never once crossed his mind. As far as Starrk was concerned, they were completely meaningless. The cause for their conflict was over and there had never really been much emotion behind it anyway. Really, he didn't think about them at all.

"I love this Starrk! You're getting really mean." Lilinette said approvingly as she settled behind him in his little den. Starrk smiled at her, enjoying her pleasure. "How long are we going to hang out here, though?"

"Mmm, a while." For them that could mean decades. "It's very pretty." Also quite dangerous. Starrk had needed to be very, very careful excavating his current hideaway.

Long ago, he and Lilinette had found a vast crystal formation. They had discovered how dangerous it could be, finding the corpse of a broken hollow in a spot where the sand had collapsed, revealing razor sharp crystal shards. The crystals distorted any reiatsu, making it impossible to use any hollow abilities and disabling hierro. Effectively, they were a deathtrap to the unwary.

Now, though, Starrk knew about them. So working very, very carefully, he'd burrowed into the base of this one. Using beams taken from Los Noches, he'd painstakingly constructed a very solid little cavern. He'd brought the beams first before beginning the excavation, cutting them into the right shapes and wedging them in as he worked.

The result was a beautifully hidden den in the middle of a lethally gorgeous crystal formation. Starrk knew the shinigami would likely be hunting him now. His identity would have come out, in the aftermath of his revenge. If they followed him in here, though, they would sacrifice every advantage they had. They would be facing him completely powerless. Of course, he would be powerless as well… but his body was very strong and high speed regeneration would still work. Things would probably go very badly for them, particularly combined with his other measures.

But those could wait. Starrk gazed up at the ceiling of his den, enjoying the beauty above him. Crystals protruded from the ceiling, huge and fine and glowing with the light of Hueco Mundo's moon. They channeled the light down, giving the cavern a gorgeous, multicolored illumination. Starrk and Lilinette both loved it. He thought he might make this their permanent den, although…

"When the shinigami have given up on us, I think I will go find a mate." Starrk suddenly said and Lilinette lifted her head, gazing at him wide eyed.

"What? After… that stuff? You sure, Starrk?" She asked and he nodded.

"That's actually what made me think of it." Not everything that had happened to him had been terrible. Starrk could see the appeal. He'd like it better if he wasn't chained down in various positions, though. "I wonder if Grimmjow is alive?" He murmured. The cat was attractive. Lilinette snorted.

"He's bugfuck crazy." She said, which was true. It was a large part of the reason Starrk had never approached him. Starrk sighed.

"I don't have many options, Lilinette." He needed someone of at least Espada strength. Grimmjow was actually a bit on the iffy side. Although… "Such a pity I couldn't keep that retaining collar." If he could only wear something like that, he'd be able to pick a mate among the remaining numeros. Surely there would be someone both attractive and reasonable in their ranks. Lilinette shook her head.

"That'd be dangerous Starrk." She said, which was too true. Although not as dangerous as it had been when the title Espada meant something.

"Well, it doesn't matter. The collar is broken." He'd shattered it before escaping. "Shall we play a game?" He asked and she brightened.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's play cards." She urged him and he smiled, finding their deck of cards. It had been considered necessary supplies and he'd taken it from the whorehouse in his escape. "Go fish?"

"Only if you promise not to cheat." He said severely and she grinned, sitting cross-legged across from him.

"I swear!" She pledged and Starrk didn't really believe it. On the other hand, it didn't matter much. Dealing the cards, he hummed happily to himself.

If they had to be alone again, this was a very fine den to spend their time in.

* * *

It didn't take much longer after that for the shinigami to find them.

What they found first, though, was the crystalline traps lying all around them. Shortly after that, they were frantically trying to extract both Juushiro and Sentaro from the crystals they had fallen into.

"Oh sweet kami no, no no…" Shunsui was absolutely frantic. He tried a kido to try to shift the crystals but it fizzled out, completely. "Juushiro!" He could see that his friend was partly impaled on the sharp spikes. Sentaro was even worse and Shunsui wasn't sure he was alive.

"Ukitake taichou, say something, please!" Kiyone begged as Shunsui grit his teeth and began trying to shift the crystals by hand. Soon his hands were deeply cut and bleeding. "Who could be this cruel?!"

"Coyote Starrk." Shunsui muttered. Although he couldn't have created these crystals. They were clearly a natural formation that the arrancar was taking advantage of. There was a cough and he looked up, his eyes widening as he saw a white uniform and grey eyes.

"Catch." A familiar, laconic voice said and Kiyone just barely raised her hands in time to catch a rope. But it was no normal rope… it was made out of steel wire? "The crystals are brittle. Loop that around them and pull to break them." Starrk said and Shunsui stared at him, taken aback. The arrancar was helping them? "Then leave. I want nothing to do with you." Then he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Wait! …Damn." Deciding that the arrancar was the least of his problems, Shunsui concentrated on freeing his trapped friends. As soon as he had them out of the crystals, Iemura began to work on healing them. Then he looked up at a distant scream. "Kami, not another…" He'd tried to send a hell butterfly to the other team, but it had fizzled and vanished as it tried to go over the crystals. "Kiyone, stay with them." He said before grabbed quickly binding his hands and grabbing the rope. He didn't want to get blood on it. "I'll go see what's happening." Skirting wide around the crystal formation, he went to see who else had fallen into trouble. The answer was Renji. Byakuya was working quietly on trying to free him but the wounds were every bit as bad as Juushiro's.

When everyone was freed and verified to still be breathing, Shunsui made a quick decision. This wasn't how he'd wanted to do this, but…

"Take them back. I'll stay and speak to the arrancar." They had planned to incapacitate him and bring him back to Soul Society. But Starrk's ingenious little trap had put paid to that plan. However, he'd seen the direction Starrk had walked in. Surely he could find the arrancar's hideaway.

He could, although it was difficult and he had to test the ground carefully. Fortunately, the surface broke easily when he put a foot in the wrong spot. Now that they knew about the problem, Shunsui could see it wouldn't be too hard to avoid… as long as they stayed out of shunpo. Not that he could use it this close to the crystals, anyway. Frowning, he found the tunnel the arrancar had excavated and began to follow it. It was tiny and he had the crawl on his hands and knees to make it through. Eventually, though, he found his way into Starrk's lair.

"You are very daring, Kyoraku taichou. I could have been waiting beside the entrance with a sword drawn." The arrancar drawled as Shunsui stood, frowning at him. Starrk was lying on his back, a pillow beneath his head and Lilinette sitting beside him and glaring. Shunsui was actually relieved to see her. Mayuri hadn't mentioned her at all which had led him to fear the small arrancar was gone. "To what do I owe the visit?"

"I think you know the answer to that." Shunsui returned and Starrk just lifted his head a bit, looking mildly curious. "I am here to return you to Soul Society."

"Oi! As if. We'd die first." Lilinette scoffed and Shunsui sighed, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword. Then Starrk spoke, his tone a clear warning.

"I would not do that, Kyoraku taichou." He pointed upwards and Shunsui followed his finger, puzzled. Then his breath caught as he saw the small black things fixed to the ceiling. Wires led from them. While he was no expert on such things, he could recognize explosives. "One push of a button and we will all die. I will not be taken alive."

"What?!" Shunsui was honestly shocked. The Espada had never seemed like the suicidal type to him. "Why would you do that?" He asked and Starrk just lifted his head and gave him a look like he was an idiot.

"You employ that painted monster, yet ask me that question? If you had to choose between a swift death and being at his mercy, what would you pick, taichou-san?" Starrk asked and Shunsui had to admit, if only to himself, that the arrancar had a point. "I was very lucky that he did not realize what I was. My duties were quite light, in comparison."

"I'm sorry about that. It was not sanctioned by the Gotei 13." He said softly. Starrk just shook his head as Lilientte laughed. It was a sharp, staccato sound.

"Yet torture was. Please leave, Kyoraku taichou." Starrk sounded tired and sad. "Aizen might have been a monster but he was right to try to destroy you. You deserve nothing less… but I am not Aizen. I want nothing to do with you. Please, just go." He closed his eyes and Shunsui hesitated.

"So you have no plans to avenge yourself further?" He asked carefully. Starrk said nothing, but Lilinette responded.

"Nah. We're just going to stay in Hueco Mundo, where hollows like us belong. You leave us alone, we'll leave you alone. Not that we'll ever trust you! Shinigami." She said the word with a sneer. Shunsui sighed to himself. The arrancar could not be making their distrust more obvious. But then, expecting any kind of goodwill from them was absurd. Showing himself out, he wondered what Yamamoto would choose to do.

He had a very good idea of what it would be. He honestly hoped he was wrong, though.

* * *

"Starrk? Should we leave?" Lilinette sounded worried and Starrk knew she was right to be. Sighing softly, he rested a hand on her helmet.

"No. There's no point." He said softly as she looked at him, chewing on her lip. "If they can find us here they can find us anywhere. If we abandon this place we'll just be easier to ambush." For a moment, Starrk wondered how they had found him. Some kind of tracker keyed to his unique reiatsu signature? Very likely. Unfortunately, he was just too powerful.

"Well, we are safe here." Lilinette agreed and Starrk winced to himself before giving her a gentle smile.

"Yes, we are." He lied. Their little den had one terrible, glaring weakness. Starrk had just decided it was an acceptable trade-off. Looking up at the ceiling, with its beautiful crystals, he knew what was likely to happen. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think about it.

There was nothing he could do.

* * *

Shunsui struggled through the little tunnel a second time.

He was honestly surprised at his orders. He'd thought Yamamoto would order him to take advantage of the weakness of the arrancar's hiding place. And he would, if Starrk did not accept his offer. He very much hoped the Espada would consider it.

When he got into the main cavern, Starrk appeared to be dozing. But as soon as he stood the man's eyes opened and he gently nudged his small companion awake. She yawned before blinking at him, surprised.

"You're back? What the hell for?" She asked and Shunsui smiled at her in a friendly manner. "Oi! Stop being sleazy!"

"Sleazy?" He'd been accused of that before, but usually when he was trying to pick up a woman. That little girl definitely had his number. Starrk sighed, sitting up and running a hand through his brown hair. "I'm here to make you an offer, Starrk-san." He said in a more serious tone as the arrancar flicked him a glance.

"I can't imagine how I could trust you to keep your end of any deal, Kyoraku taichou." The Espada said in a drained tone of voice and Shunsui was suddenly certain that he understood the weakness of his position. There seemed to be something fatalistic about him. The girl, though, seemed oblivious to the real balance of power in the situation.

"Yeah, you get out and leave us alone! We just wanna be left alone!" She said firmly but he kept his attention on Starrk. He was just looking at him empty grey eyes and a slightly sad expression.

"Because of your restraint and your actions in helping us save Ukitake taichou, Yamamoto Soutaichou is willing to give you a chance, Starrk." Shunsui said, looking for any kind of reaction. There was nothing but an empty stare. "If you agree to wear a retaining collar and submit to a tracer, we will give you a chance to join our forces."

"Oi! What makes you think he'll forgive you for treating him like a slave, huh?" Lilinette demanded and Starrk looked down. Shunsui sighed to himself. He knew she was right to be outraged. Yet, what could he do about it?

"That was not sanctioned by the Gotei 13 and I'm very sorry it happened to you. But please, think about the consequences of refusal." He said gently and Lilinette bristled as Starrk failed to react. "I don't want to kill you." He said sincerely and Lilinette immediately objected.

"What makes you think you could, old geezer?! We're safe here! You can't – huh?" Starrk had just set a hand on her helmet and she looked up at him, surprised. "Starrk?"

"You can kill us. But we can kill you. Tell me, taichou san. If you are going to end my life why should I not end yours?" Starrk asked softly and Shunsui just looked at him. He'd been aware of that problem with his own actions, but he'd decided to take the risk.

"You can, but I don't think you will." He said, meeting the arrancar's eyes. Starrk was the first to look away, gently putting an arm around his other half and cuddling her close.

"It is a bit grotesque, trusting in my good nature when you threaten to destroy me, Kyoraku taichou." He said, but not as though he was angry. No, he sounded depressed. Lilinette squirmed, uncomfortable.

"What are you guys talking about? You've been lying to me, Starrk! How could they kill us?" She demanded and he sighed before glancing up at the ceiling.

"The strength of this den is also its weakness. We can bring down the roof whenever we want, but so can they." He said sadly as Lilinette blinked. "If someone is strong enough, they could toss an explosive into the centre of the crystal formation. Or just use a catapult. It would be easy. And we would surely die." The crystals would shred them. There would be no hope of survival. "But I am not volunteering to survive as a lab rat, taichou san. How can I trust you?"

"I don't know, Starrk. But I swear on the Kyoraku clan's name, this offer is not a trick." He said sincerely and the arrancar just stared at him for a moment before leaning back, setting his head against the wall as he looked up at the crystals. His small companion was looking very worried and subdued.

"…Will you be giving any of the others chances too?" Starrk asked softly and Shunsui frowned. He hadn't anticipated that question. "And what manner of limiter will you place on me?"

"The others… I don't know. Perhaps, if this works out well." That made him feel a touch uncomfortable, though. Mainly because if they started rehabilitating the arrancar they would have to admit that their treatment of them had truly been wrong. Everyone felt that Mayuri had been out of line, selling them into slavery, but the experiments, well… they were only hollows. Shunsui admitted, if only to himself, that that didn't make much sense. "The limiter will mostly be to restrain you from harming anyone. Similar in strength to the one you broke before leaving your, um, place of employment." That made a smile play over Starrk's lips.

"Mmm. That's not bad. So the only question left is if I can trust you." Starrk looked up at the ceiling for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then he shrugged. "Okay."

"…I… wait, what?" Shunsui said, surprised. Had the arrancar just…? Starrk looked at him with a small smile.

"I said okay. I'll take the chance. I really don't want…" His gaze went to Lilinette, who was watching them both. That suddenly made her stiffen.

"HEY! You're protecting me again! You'll be taking all the risk! You can't do that Starrk!" She protested sharply and he shrugged. "No! Starrk!"

"Lilinette, hush." He said firmly before glancing at the rather confused shinigami who was watching them with a frown. "She's referring to the fact that I can take her into me and shield her from feeling anything, protecting her from harm." He said quietly and Shunsui winced as he understood. "But I think I will trust you. I hope very much that my trust is not misplaced."

"It's not." Shunsui said before offering him a retaining collar. Starrk took it and examined it for a moment, verifying that he could break it if necessary. Then he popped it into place as Lilinette made a small, protesting sound. "Shall we?"

"Yes." Shunsui felt very relieved that things had turned out this way. His fellow taichou were waiting outside with the explosives and the small trebuchet that would have launched them into the crystal cluster.

He was so very, very glad that it would be unnecessary.


	24. Dusting - The Victory - Redone

Author's Note: This is actually the original version of this chapter of Dusting… I decided not to do it because I thought it didn't make much sense. I hadn't mentioned Violetta and Starrk having a Mating Claim, and they would, if Claiming was involved. However, that last chapter got no reviews so I guess we all need some smut. XD This means more gratuitous smut in the future, too. Enjoy!

Sometimes, one thing makes all the difference.

Aizen wasn't expecting his arrancar to triumph over the shinigami. Not when the Visored had arrived, at least. Before that they might have won but with the Visored in the fray, they were simply outnumbered.

All that changed with Violetta's bankai raging across the sky. It was a vicious power and while Violetta herself would not be eager to kill, her zanpakuto felt differently. Combined with the power of Halibel and Starrk, the warriors of Soul Society began to fall. Too late for Barragan, but that was just too bad. Those who fell to Halibel and Starrk were the lucky ones. Several faced Kuroikaze and they were horribly maimed, if they didn't perish outright.

Soon, the three of them were facing Aizen as he smiled at them benignly.

"You have done well." He sounded approving. Violetta just snuggled against Starrk. His arm was around her, holding her close. "Now, we will go to Karakura town and I will begin my ascent to the throne."

And so they did. Along with Gin, the three arrancar followed Aizen to the true Karakura town. Violetta felt some regret as she understood what was coming. All those people would be sacrificed to Aizen's ambition. But there was nothing she could do. Her life was tied to Aizen's fortunes, just like all the arrancar. They would support him as best they could.

No one expected Gin's treachery. He caught everyone, including Aizen completely off guard. Starrk's instinctive reaction was to grab her and sonido away. Halibel's was to attack the traitor, and that nearly killed her. Gin was ready for it… but then Aizen intervened. His sword, bisecting the fox-faced man, came as a shock. But all three of them were still loyal. Why wouldn't they be?

Then came Kurosaki Ichigo. Only Starrk could sense his power and he knew that none of them could join this battle and hope to live. When Ichigo swept Aizen away they followed, but at a safe distance. They watched the vast powers being unleashed. They watched the Final Getsuga Tenshou and saw Aizen's imprisonment.

And that, for the shinigami, was exactly where everything went wrong.

"Keep them off me while I free him!" Violetta hissed and Starrk and Halibel both nodded. They attacked, aiming most of their force at Urahara Kisuke. Ichigo's power was fading rapidly, rendering him not a threat, and Orihime Inoue had never been much of a danger. She cried out but Kisuke tried to reassure her.

"Without kido they can't free him!" He called and Violetta noted that. Clearly, he'd missed what Kuroikaze really was. An easy mistake to make, really… her zanpakuto's power could easily be mistaken for some kind of hollow derivative.

But she had kido and she was good at it. Not a master in the league of Kisuke, perhaps, but bindings were meant to hold against pressure from within, not without. Violetta's eyes narrowed as she moved her hands and raised her voice in the words that would free Aizen from his prison. Kisuke realized what was happening and his eyes went wide as he tried to attack her, but Starrk was there. Protecting his mate from any harm.

The binding shattered. Urahara tried to scoop up Ichigo and escape, but failed messily. Aizen was extremely upset and took his frustrations out on the man who had attempted to stop him. Then, for good measure, he slaughtered the young man who had very nearly succeeded. Violetta winced as Starrk did something kind… he forced Orihime to look away, pressing her against his chest. She sobbed and beat him with her fists, but might as well have been straining against a boulder. Aizen's gaze fell on her for a moment and Violetta swallowed, sensing he was thinking of ending her too… but then he clearly decided against it.

"Come." He said to the three remaining Espada. Starrk picked up Orihime, taking her with them. Violetta frowned at that. She wasn't threatened by the human woman but…

"Why are you…?" She asked and Starrk gave her a small, troubled smile.

"Her power is unique and that area is unstable. Besides, if she's not with us when the key is forged…" He let that trail off and Violetta nodded, glancing at Orihime. She was begging them to do something, anything, to stop the massacre that was coming. Sharing a glance with Starrk, Violetta struggled to ignore the woman. There was absolutely nothing they could do. And they were hollows. While Violetta could abstractly understand that such a thing was wrong, the difference really had no meaning for her. For Starrk and Halibel, if anything, it meant even less.

They all watched as the King's Key was forged. All the power in Karakura town, the energy of the land, the hollows and the human souls, was sucked into the Hogyoku to create the Oken. The only exceptions were the three Espada and the young human woman in Starrk's arms. Aizen handled that by creating a safe zone around himself, which was excluded from the pull. When that was done Starrk set Orihime down, telling her to wait as they joined Aizen in his trip to the Celestial realm. She was collapsed on the ground weeping as they began their final ascent.

This would be the end for the Soul King and the beginning of a new era.

* * *

Violetta rubbed her forehead, feeling like she had a mild headache. It had been happening off and on days and she really couldn't understand it.

Aizen was still in the middle of consolidating his hold on Soul Society and for the surviving Espada, things were busy. Violetta was feeling almost stuffed with power. Every shinigami that Kuroikaze killed was a soul she absorbed, and she'd summoned her bankai many, many times since this had begun. It took some power to do that, of course, but if the target was reasonably powerful she experienced a net increase. That had let her keep Kuroikaze active on the battlefield longer than Sojun ever could have. The souls of the dead fueled her bankai…

Shaking away that unsettling thought, she continued helping with the subjugation of Soul Society. This had all been planned out and they knew what to do but it was messy, to say the least.

"Violetta-sama." One of her arrancar minions knelt in front of her. She'd been given a field promotion to Espada, despite her pregnancy. "We are having an issue at the Academy…" Violetta almost groaned. Why there? She didn't want to hurt youngsters.

"Please explain." She requested and the arrancar detailed the problem. A group of kido instructors had organized the students into a reasonably effective militia. They'd had a few minor victories over the marauding arrancar. Alas, with only three Espada, the command structure was not what it should be. "Take, hm, Loperez, Ttero and Mssufi and break it up." That should be sufficient. "If you can't, come get me." That seemed unlikely but you never knew. And she had other things to do. In fact, any time now – "Ah." A flare had just gone off, her signal to enter a much larger conflict. The noble clans were resisting them and they had more resources than the Academy. "Excuse me…" Leaving him to it, she summoned Kuroikaze and prepared herself to unleash him against the Shihoin clan. They should have taken Aizen's offer.

It was time to show them the new power in Soul Society.

* * *

Violetta walked through her inner world, looking for what was troubling her.

Kuroikaze had finally informed her that the cause of her headaches lay there. That was a very interesting tidbit of information, but she hadn't been able to do much with it for days. They had been too busy subjugating their new subjects.

But that was mostly done, now. Aizen had come down from the Soul King's realm personally to utterly destroy a few stubborn pockets of resistance. That had taken the fire out of the remaining noble clans and shinigami. The taichou were all imprisoned or dead, along with what was left of the Visored. Aizen was going to stay in this realm, now. Apparently whatever he'd needed to do was done, and he would give his full attention to his rebellious subjects.

Violetta lay in her mate's arms, secure as they rested from their labors. They were being guarded by several powerful arrancar, just in case. Starrk was so deeply asleep, nothing short of an earthquake would wake him. Or a threat to his mate. That would certainly do it.

So Violetta was in her inner world. It was as grey and boring as always… or so she thought. Her eyes went wide as she saw a flash of bright pink.

"…?!" There was a man, sitting on the bank of the grey koi pond. His back was to her and she could see the long ponytail of chestnut hair, the little pins he always wore. He had his hat, too, shading his face against the sun. Not that there was much, in the overcast, lifeless place that was her inner world. "Kyoraku taichou?" She said and he turned to look at her. Their eyes met, one set surprised and the other simply resigned.

"Ah, Sojun-san. I wondered when you would come." He said lightly and she winced.

"Please don't call me that." It felt wrong. "My name is Violetta." She said, unsure that he remembered. He nodded with a tired smile.

"I know, I heard. Your zanpakuto allowed me to gaze through your eyes, a few times." He sounded melancholy. She could imagine why. It hadn't been pretty, what they had been doing. "It seems I am powerless and at your mercy." He looked away and she nodded.

"Yes. You are an undigested soul." It was quite obvious. If she had been a mere adjuchas, no doubt they would have been locked in fierce contention to see who would rule over her body. But she wasn't. She was an arrancar and a condition that would have been a deep threat was merely a nuisance. Her eyes softened as she looked at the sad, tired, almost broken man. "I'm sorry." She said softly and he glanced back towards her.

"Then why did you do it?" He asked and she blinked, wondering what he meant. Surely he understood why she had killed him. "Why did you join Aizen in the first place?" Ah. A better question.

"You say that as if I had a choice." She said lightly and he frowned. "When Aizen came calling he might have framed his words as a request, but it was very clear to all of us that the alternative was death. And no single hollow could stand against the might of three shinigami taichou." That was simply true. Even Starrk had ultimately had no choice in giving his allegiance. Refusal would have been very messy and quite fatal. "I'm sorry, but blaming us is pointless. There is truly no one to blame but yourselves."

"Ah. Yes, I suppose you are right. That doesn't make things better, however." He said and she nodded. She imagined it made things quite a bit worse. "Will you kill me, then?" He asked idly, as if the answer really didn't matter. Violetta hesitated a moment. She wanted to hug him, comfort him. But even if she was the shade of his lost student she didn't think he would appreciate it.

"I… don't know." She didn't have to. He was no threat to her, his power shattered and his soul trapped within her stable soul collection. "Do you want me to?" She asked, wondering if he did. This place had to be insanely boring. He stiffened for a moment in surprise, then laughed. It was a soft but terribly bitter sound.

"Ah, that is a good question. I don't know. I really don't…" He glanced around thoughtfully. "Was it always like this? Or is it because you are an arrancar?" He asked and she frowned. She didn't know. Then there was a soft buzz and a black cloud flew overhead.

_When Sojun lived, this place was alive. Except when I killed things. _Kuroikaze sounded pleased with himself and Violetta sighed. It was no wonder that poor soul had never achieved bankai, dealing with such a hideous zanpakuto. _But it was nothing like this. This is an amalgamation of many souls, frozen in death._

"Mmm." Shunsui turned around, looking at some of the objects frozen in the grey. Many related to Sojun and Soul Society, but there were plenty that didn't. "I can see that." He mused before sighing. "If the choice is death or remaining here forever… I just don't know." He sounded melancholy, now. Violetta rubbed her forehead, feeling deeply pained.

"You have time to think about it." She offered and he nodded. "And you can look through my eyes, if you want." If she'd been an adjuchas she would never have dared make that offer. But with her zanpakuto and the stability of her soul collection, there was no issue. He smiled at her but it was a tired, saddened expression.

"I'll ask your zanpakuto for the best times." He said and she understood. He didn't want to see much of what she was doing. The subjugation of the noble clans, the suffering of his fellow taichou… why should he want to see that? There was nothing he could do.

Feeling saddened and uncertain, Violetta left her inner world for a deeper, more natural sleep.

There was nothing she could do, either.

* * *

Or so she thought. As it turned out, she was wrong.

Szayel was going on about how to control the remaining taichou. They were going to use the hollow Claim for many of them. Shunsui asked quietly for an explanation and Violetta muttered one to him, as he shared her eyes. It was an Espada meeting and as much as it pained him, he was curious about the future of Soul Society. And very concerned about his old friend. The thought of Juushiro being Claimed made him feel ill, from what she could sense.

However, there weren't many surviving Espada. Starrk, Halibel, Grimmjow, Szayel and now, herself. Her promotion to Espada had been made permanent. Aizen did not want taichou-class reiatsu being held by anything less than an Espada, and for good reason. It had already been demonstrated that the lower ranks could not absolutely hold someone of that power. That had been messy and the taichou-class power in question, a man named Ikkaku, had nearly escaped. Aizen had been mildly surprised to discover that the man had a bankai.

Violetta thought he would regret revealing that because Aizen quickly decided that Starrk would be allowed three Claims while the rest would be allowed two. That would leave plenty of the survivors unclaimed. The question was, what to do with the extras? Aizen wanted them brought under some kind of control and Szayel's enthusiasm for the project was unnerving. Violetta could feel that Shunsui was deeply disturbed by the prospect.

"What if we don't care to Claim that many? I prefer women." Starrk asked and Aizen frowned slightly as Grimmjow added his two cents.

"I'm into chicks too. There ain't that many taichou-class ones, yah?" He was right about that. Only Unohana and Soi Fon were truly taichou-class. "You better not take 'em both, Coyote!" He threatened and Starrk shrugged. Aizen sighed softly.

"I would ask that you swallow your distaste and Claim a male or two. Can you do that, Starrk?" Aizen asked and Starrk hesitated before nodding. Then he suddenly looked at Violetta. She blinked at the odd look on his face. She'd never seen that expression on him before.

"Wait, Violetta would have to…" He sounded appalled and she couldn't help but smile as she realized what was going through his mind.

"I'm going to be sharing you with at least one female." She pointed out and he swallowed as Halibel laughed softly, amused by his predicament. "I don't see how you can complain." Really, she didn't WANT to mate with the shinigami anyway. If she had her choice, only Starrk would grace her bed. And… "It will provide extra protection for the child." That settled him a bit. It was a reasonably common reason to make a Claim, if one was lucky enough to be mated with a pup on the way.

"Yeah! Don't worry about it Starrk. More hands to help with the pups!" Lilinette said, completely blasé about the idea of Violetta taking a Claimed pet. "Besides, you're the best in bed anyway." She added and Violetta blinked as Starrk choked. She could hear Shunsui laughing in the back of her mind as Halibel cast her eyes to the heavens. Grimmjow laughed aloud.

"Oi, that right girl? Is he the best?" He asked with a toothy grin and Violette blushed. Then Aizen's voice recalled them all to the meeting.

"Since that is settled…" Aizen began going into more details of how Soul Society would be reorganized. Violetta felt Shunsui's attention leave the meeting as he retreated back to her inner world. Vaguely, she wondered what he was thinking.

No doubt she would find out later.

* * *

"I want to make a proposition." Shunsui said to her as they sat on a bench in her inner world. It was as grey as everything yet strangely warm. Violetta looked at him curiously. What possible offer could he have? "My soul is intact within you, correct?"

"Um… yes, somewhat. I'm not as sure about your zanpakuto." Violetta said after a moment. She hadn't seen it manifest here, although that might have something to do with – Kuroikaze spoke, amused.

_They are within him. I do not allow them to come out. This is my place._ He said firmly and she blinked. That… made sense. He was a rather territorial spirit. _Also, I never liked them much. Irritating females._

"Hm! Interesting… well. All the better. If Szayel could make an artificial body for me, could my soul be removed from you?" Shunsui asked and Violetta hesitated. She knew it could, although the process would be painful at best.

"Yes, I could regurgitate you." She said honestly and he suddenly looked taken aback. Probably at the image those words brought to mind. "I… would not object to that. But I think you have more in mind?" She really didn't want to destroy his soul and remaining in her inner world was nearly as bad. He just didn't belong, this handsome, vibrant man. Shunsui sighed, reaching up to push back his hat.

"I will pledge my loyalty to you, to Aizen, to the new order… in return for the safety of Ukitake Juushiro and Ise Nanao." He said softly and Violetta blinked. "A taichou of my strength would be very useful for Aizen."

"Yes, although he would want assurances of your loyalty. But then, he could just have Starrk Claim you." Violetta was relatively sure Aizen would want Kyoraku under Starrk's thumb. If there was one person with the power and the motivation to keep him under control, it would be the Primera. Shunsui grimaced at the thought but nodded.

"I had rather assumed that. But please, could you be the one to Claim Juushiro?" Shunsui sounded pained and Violetta raised her eyebrows. Clearly, Kyoraku thought his friend was straight. She had a few doubts.

"Knowing Soul Society, he could be hiding something. We'll just give him a choice of who he wants." That would take care of any problems. "Nanao is not taichou-class, but we can take her as a fraccion." Aizen would certainly prefer that. He wouldn't want them wasting their Claims on a fukutaichou. "I'll bring this up to Aizen as soon as I can." She pledged and Shunsui nodded with a wan smile. No doubt he wasn't eager to give his loyalty to the conquerors… but he was willing to do anything to see that those who meant the most to him were shielded from harm. And given what they both suspected was going to happen to the taichou-class survivors who were unfortunate enough not to be Claimed, this was definitely the lesser of two evils.

They would have to see how it went.

* * *

Regurgitating Shunsui's soul made Violetta think of hawking up the largest hairball in the world.

It started with intense nausea. She had to lean over the artificial body, her mouth open as she forced herself to release him. Then she had to begin the process of getting him out. It was very similar to real vomit… after all, souls were food to hollows. Her spittle splattered against his chest as the soul scraped unpleasantly against the inside of her throat, increasing her discomfort.

Finally, though, she got it out. The bundle of blue fire immediately slid into the body beneath her, the vessel that had been primed for it. Grey eyes fluttered, then opened and they stared at each other for a moment.

"…Ewww." Shunsui muttered as he glanced down his body. Violetta grimaced, sitting back and running a finger through her mouth in an effort to get the taste and feel of stomach acid out. It didn't really help much.

"Oh hush. That was awful." She rested a hand on her growing belly. She was almost six months along, now. An arm went around her shoulders and she smiled weakly at Starrk as he stared hard at the shinigami. Shunsui gave him a tentative smile, which was not returned. "It felt like tossing the biggest, nastiest cookie in the world." She never wanted to do that again. Shunsui looked at her thoughtfully.

"For me, I felt… compressed. I imagine that's what being born feels like." He said, which made her blink and Starrk's grip on her tighten. "…Does someone have a towel?"

"Yes, yes. Violetta, get off please." Szayel said impatiently and she let Starrk help her off the man. Her legs felt rubbery and she had to lean against him, to his concern. Then Szayel gave Kyoraku the towel, shuddering a bit in disgust at the mess. He just began cleaning himself off, taking it in stride. "Now I need to run some tests."

Shunsui calmly accepted the arrancar's scans, knowing it would be futile to do anything else. At the moment, his powers were sealed with a reiatsu limiter around his neck and two more cuffs on his wrists. They would be removed only after Szayel was happy with his special features and Starrk had laid his Claim. Violetta worried slightly about the 'special features'. She knew they included a tracker but Szayel hadn't wanted to divulge the rest, which made her nervous. Starrk didn't seem particularly worried, though.

"Ah… I know what has to come next." Shunsui said with a smile that didn't conceal his apprehension. Starrk just stared at him, until Violetta kicked him in the leg.

"Ow! What?" He asked, rubbing himself with a frown and she frowned at him. "I was just…"

"I think we all know what you were doing." She said severely. She was already getting tired of the territorial behavior and it was going to get worse, not better, until they'd settled in with their new Claims. "You can compare sizes with him if you want, before you Claim him." She said and ignored the choking sound Shunsui made. "Now come on. I want a bed for this." She was going to be involved, which was part of what had Starrk's hackles up. But he didn't like men and she knew Shunsui didn't. She was going to help them both out.

"Wait, you want a bed?" Shunsui was surprised and Violetta smiled at him as Starrk actually growled. She looked at him severely and frowned as she saw his eyes were glowing, just a touch.

"Starrk, if you can't get your instincts under control I will have to Claim him." She said firmly and he closed his eyes for a moment, gripping his hair with one hand as he fought back the urge to kill the interloping male. "Good… and yes, I'm going to be the 'teaser'. It was Grimmjow's suggestion." A suggestion that had nearly gotten him killed by an irate Primera. Fortunately, Grimmjow could run very fast. Lilinette had thought it was beyond hilarious. "Come on, this way."

The bed they had was actually just a floor mat and a few pillows. It worked just fine, and soon Starrk was preparing Shunsui for anal intercourse. Violetta watched, mildly interested. She'd never done that and wondered what it was like. From the way the man groaned it wasn't a pleasant feeling, but they all knew it was going to get much, much better when the Claim started. Stripping off her dress, she nuzzled Starrk and kissed him, letting him arouse himself with her.

It worked well, particularly as the Claim started. The sound Shunsui made when Starrk sank into him was pained, but it quickly turned into a startled gasp as intensely pleasurable reiatsu flooded his body. As he took Shunsui in a slow, deliberate rhythm, Starrk's eyes stayed on her but took on a slightly unfocused look. Violetta was absolutely certain that he was fantasizing that the body gripping him was hers.

Violetta's eyes, meanwhile, were moving over the scene, pausing here and there. She gazed at Shunsui's face, twisted in pleasure and a bit of pain. Down his muscular back and then over Starrk's wonderful chest, settling on his face for a moment, the intense absorption there. Then her gaze travelled down to where their bodies were joined and she swallowed, wondering. Was she supposed to be aroused by this?

The speed of their coupling increased and Violetta watched, wide eyed, as Starrk rode Shunsui firmly. The shinigami was almost whimpering, the power that the Primera was pumping into him teasing all of his nerve endings. As she watched, Starrk sank his fangs into that muscular throat and Shunsui arched with a cry of absolute ecstasy. The look on his face was completely absorbed in his pleasure as his body shook with the force of his orgasm. Starrk followed a moment later, groaning into warm skin as he came to completion. Violetta licked her lips, her inner muscles clenching a bit at the sight. The two men collapsed together, their bodies still tangled as they trembled and fought to recover from what they had done.

"I… admit… that was better with some tits in my face." Starrk muttered as he regained control, pulling his body free of Shunsui. The shinigami had his face in the blankets but raised his head with a blink.

"Why didn't I get that…?" He asked plaintively and Starrk gave him a look that Violetta easily interpreted as territorial. She wasn't going to tolerate that so she smiled, putting a finger under Shunsui's chin and lifting his head as she settled in front of him, her breasts perfectly positioned for him. Grey eyes fixed on her and she smiled at the arrested look on his face. "Oh. I, ah, thank you." He sounded a touch stunned and she giggled before smiling at Starrk.

"I hope you're not exhausted." She said teasingly and he growled, his eyes glowing blue as he moved. She was easily pinned onto her back, her mate on top of her. She shuddered as she felt his muscles against her, vaguely aware of Shunsui watching them both. And she was also aware that Starrk likely wanted him to. Her mate was feeling intensely territorial and wanted to mark his woman in front of the other male. That might have been annoying but the thought of being watched as she had sex… Violette moaned as her breasts were cupped, Starrk's big hands exploring her as he explored her throat, finding the best places to suck.

This was going to be an amazing night.


	25. With a Single Blow

The brown haired man walked through the endless twilight, playing with the hilt of his sword as he moved.

"What shall we do today?" He asked his sword spirit. There was a grumble and a yawn inside his mind and he smiled as he manifested her. The little wolf girl rubbed her eyes, before yawning. The light of the moon glittered on little fangs.

"Why don't we play chase the girl?" She asked and Starrk considered it. The sight of her tail decided him. It was wagging in excitement.

"Why not?" He agreed and she laughed. Soon they were dancing over the sand dunes, happy and playing.

They had no names. No past. Nothing but this moment in time, and the many endless moments that had proceeded it. They knew they were a shinigami and a zanpakuto, but they only knew that because sometime in the past, a hollow had told them so. The adjuchas in question had tried to kill them a moment later. He'd died bare seconds after that.

They were very alone here. Very few hollows so much as spoke to them before attacking. And when they did, they were wiped away, stricken by the barest touch of his power. The man hated it but there was very little he could do. He could not let them attack him and live. Somehow, he knew that his own death would be a very bad thing. Just the thought gave him a feeling of primal dread.

So the two of them continued their endless dance over the dunes, oblivious to the passing of time. They happened to be resting when something very unusual found them.

"…?" The brown haired man looked over his shoulder as he felt the shinigami approaching. His sword spirit yawned, stretching before joining him in looking at the stranger. He had warm brown hair and a kindly expression. The lost shinigami frowned as he looked at him. Then two more shinigami appeared, one with silver hair and the other with very dark skin and hair. The man blinked and stood, feeling a deep concern. "You are not supposed to be here." Of that, he was certain. Somehow, their presence in the barren wastes bothered him. It was not right.

"What do you mean?" The kindly looking man asked and the nameless man hesitated.

"…I don't know." He said honestly. It was just a feeling, there was no logic behind it. "…Who are you?" He knew other people had names. He didn't, but the lack didn't bother him.

"I am Aizen Sosuke. This is Ichimaru Gin and this is Tosen Kaname." He said and the man nodded. For now, he would remember, although in a while he would likely forget. The past trickled away from them, like sand through an hourglass. "Who are you?"

"I don't know." He said with just an edge of sadness. The man lifted an eyebrow and he tried to explain. "I have no name."

"We can't remember." His zanpakuto spoke up, which seemed to make the strangers uncomfortable. "We're just us and we've always been here." She shrugged, reaching up to scratch her wolf ears. They were nestled in a mass of wild green hair. "It's where we're supposed to be." He nodded. They both felt that, that it was right for them to be here. Why that would be, they did not know.

"The lost prince. I thought it was only a story." The dark skinned one whispered and they both blinked at him. Aizen shushed him with a gesture before smiling.

"Would you care to join me?" He asked and the nameless man tilted his head. The thought of having companions, not being so lonely, was a great attraction. "Although you will need a name." That made him blink in surprise. A name? A name of his own? Suddenly he wanted that. He wanted it so much.

"I will go with you. What will you name me?" He asked and the man considered it, his gaze falling on the zanpakuto. She was a slender girl, wearing furs and leathers. Her ears and tail were grey and very wolf-like, although perhaps more scraggly. She had only one eye. The other was covered with a leather eye patch.

"I will name you Coyote Starrk." He said after a moment. "Starrk will be your first name, in the shinigami way." He said and the newly named Starrk nodded. "But she is your zanpakuto. You do not know her name?"

"I don't have one." The little girl said, scratching her ears again. "I know… that's not right… but it's gone too. He can use me just like he did when I had a name, but I haven't got one anymore." The shinigami looked at each other and Starrk could sense how taken aback they were.

"Then you will be… Lilinette." The man in the lead said after a moment and the zanpakuto nodded, accepting the name. "Come with me, and I will introduce you to the others." Others? That made the man smile. Perhaps he could make friends!

Thinking no more about their misgivings, the two of them followed the three shinigami trustingly. They couldn't know it, but they had been placed in the desert of Hueco Mundo to avoid just such a scenario.

But nothing lasted forever. Although it had lasted a very, very long time.

* * *

Starrk's time in Los Noches was rather interesting.

The other Espada were afraid of him, of course. He was a shinigami yet accounted an Espada, and his power was both deep and strange. Also, his mind just wasn't right.

Starrk had been largely unaware of it when he was lost in the sands. He'd known he couldn't remember his own name, of course. He'd also known he couldn't remember his history or much of anything else, but it hadn't struck him as strange. Now, he knew it was odd. His mind was strangely porous, dropping information if he didn't concentrate hard on it. Aizen had taken to writing down his orders so he would have a constant reminder. And while Lilinette's recall was as bad as his, she was good at reminding him to look at his notebook.

The other Espada found it incredibly annoying, how he would gradually forget their names and faces. If he was separated from one of them long enough he would forget them entirely and require a new introduction. Starrk knew it wasn't right but he was helpless to stop it. It seemed that memories just slid from between his fingers like grains of sand.

One thing, though, gave him great joy in this place. That was Aizen. The kind man who had taken him out of the sands had taken him into his bed as well. Starrk had completely forgotten the pleasures of sex and he relearned them in Aizen's arms. His trust in the other man was absolute and it soon began to deepen into love. Starrk had no idea that this, too, was something that his stay in Hueco Mundo had been meant to avoid. All he cared about was the feelings he was being given, the warmth and love that had entered his life.

Starrk didn't understand most of Aizen's plans. He was intelligent but lacked any reference point for most of it. What was a Jurueichi? What was a town? It all had to be explained to him and then he forgot the next day. All that really mattered was helping Aizen. He would do anything his lover wanted, anything at all.

So eventually, he found himself facing a pair of taichou. His appearance clearly puzzled them and his zanpakuto puzzled them more.

"You seem to be shinigami. Who are you?" The man in pink said after a moment. Starrk shrugged.

"Coyote Starrk. Could we just pretend to fight? I don't want to kill you." And somehow, he was absolutely certain he could. But then, he'd defeated absolutely everything Aizen had tested him against. The other Espada, Gin, Tosen… not one of them had been able to stand against him. His power was an endless well of strength. The man in pink smiled.

"Ah, a man after my own heart! That's how I prefer to fight as well. Unfortunately, I cannot." He said lightly and Starrk sighed. He hadn't thought it would work.

"Then I most humbly apologize for what I must do." He said before drawing his sword. This was going to be messy.

He was dead right about that. They fenced for a while as Lilinette annoyed the white haired man. Eventually, though, Starrk decided it was time for his shikai. He called her to himself with a mental command and the shinigami across from him looking a bit surprised.

"Why have you called the girl?" He asked and Starrk blinked at him. Couldn't he tell? But perhaps not. He knew from Gin and Tosen that shinigami usually did not manifest their zanpakuto this way.

"She is my zanpakuto." He answered truthfully and the man looked taken aback. "…Did I ask your name?" Had he asked or had he just forgotten? It was so hard to know.

"Kyoraku Shunsui. And yes, you did ask." He sounded a bit bemused at the repetition. Starrk just shrugged as Lilinette scoffed.

"Hey, it took us weeks to remember our OWN names! You'll have to tell us yours five times 'fore we've got any hope of rememberin'. And since you're gonna be dead soon you won't make it that far." She said boldly and Starrk sighed before gently calling her to his inner world. Then he summoned his power.

"Scatter, my sword." That was how he preferred to summon the power of his nameless zanpakuto. He examined his guns for a moment, enjoying the feel and heft of them. They really were marvelous –

The shinigami tried to take advantage of his brief distraction. Starrk reacted with practiced skill. He lifted an arm, sheathed in a kido shield and raised his gun simultaneously. When the sword slashed through the hat it met his arm and the returning blast nearly killed the shinigami. But he was fast, that one, and managed to evade. His eyes were wide with surprise, though.

"Ah… that was… unexpected." He said after a moment and Starrk cocked an eyebrow at him. "You have an amazing reaction time, Espada-san."

"Mhm. I don't suppose we could pretend to fight now?" He asked wistfully. He hated killing. The shinigami smiled at him regretfully.

"Alas, I have my orders. And the stakes are a bit too high." He said and Starrk wondered what he meant. What was Aizen's goal again? He couldn't remember. It was important to Aizen, though, and that was enough. "Tell me. You are not an arrancar. Who are you really? And why are you fighting for Aizen?"

"I don't know who I am. I remember nothing. And Aizen is my lover." Starrk said simply and saw complete shock on the other man before he controlled it. "I will do anything to make him happy." The man had earned his utter devotion. Starrk truly wanted to make him happy, more than anything.

"…Oh. So no talking you out of it, then?" He asked after a moment and Starrk shook his head.

"No." Starrk began to fire then. The golden flashes of pure energy danced through the air, deceptive little patterns. The man tried to launch a cyclone at him, some kind of elemental attack? Starrk countered it with a particularly strong blast from his second gun. Then the shinigami began taunting him about the nature of his zanpakuto, how difficult it was to hit a moving target with a gun. So Starrk decided to demonstrate another power of his shikai. "Wildfire." The rain of power would – what?

Starrk just barely dodged the blast of his own power, tossed back at him. It was unmistakable. Briefly, he decided to do his best to try to talk the white haired man out of it.

"You know, two against one is not very fair." He said, although not as though he was angry. The man with white hair just smiled at him, grimly.

"War is not fair, Espada-san." He said and Starrk sighed. He knew the truth of that in his bones.

"I know." He did. Briefly, he considered warning off the man before deciding he couldn't afford to. Starrk couldn't remember but somehow, he just knew what to do. A bit of careful concentrating on his gun and he unleashed a shot at the white haired man.

The blast was very powerful but contained a hidden, deeply dangerous instability. The powers within it clashed against each other, which made it difficult and dangerous to fire. But when the man tried to absorb and redirect it…

"JUU!" The second man's voice rang out as the white haired man blew himself up. The explosion was rather impressive and Starrk watched emotionlessly as the white haired man fell out of the sky. "You…!" Then he was attacking, his expression angered. Starrk simply reacted with practiced skill, holding up his end of the battle. He knew what he was doing. Sooner or later, he would win.

"Is there some reason you don't use bankai, Kyo…. Taichou?" He asked, the name already gone from his mind. There was no answer, just more fierce attacks. This man was very good. He would have lasted a long time against… Starrk paused, puzzled, as he almost remembered something. But then it was gone like a whisper in the wind. "If you show me yours I'll show you mine."

"You have a bankai?" The man asked, his voice tight and controlled. Worried about failure, no doubt. Somehow, Starrk knew that feeling although he wasn't experiencing it now. When had he been afraid of failure? A long time ago, perhaps, in the times he couldn't remember.

"Of course. Mmm… I think I will show you." He decided before summoning his power. The other man leapt back as a corona of blue energy surrounded him. "Loup Garou." That was the command word of his bankai and he could use it, despite not knowing Lilinette's true name. The blue fire cleared and Starrk leapt forward, claws clashing against black blades.

After that, the outcome was assured. Starrk didn't know why the man across from him refused to use bankai. He was sure he had it. How could he not? But perhaps it was one of the rare powers that could cause as much damage to allies as enemies. If so, that was too bad. And his white haired friend was no longer in any condition to use his bankai. Starrk wasn't even sure if he was alive or dead.

It took a while but black claws finally bit deeply into flesh. Starrk felt genuinely bad about it, as the shinigami fell from the sky. Hesitating, he considered what to do. Glancing at Aizen he saw that he was looking away, his attention on Tosen and his battle. Flying down to the stricken shinigami, Starrk looked at the wide pool of blood he was lying in. It wasn't good, but…

"Hm." Kneeling beside the man, Starrk allowed his bankai to fade. Then he rested his hands on those brutal wounds, beginning to heal the damage he had inflicted. Not enough to bring the man back into the battle, of course. Just enough to ensure his survival. Eyelids fluttered and opened, grey eyes clouded with pain meeting his.

"Why… are you…?" He rasped out and Starrk gave him a gentle smile.

"I hate killing. And there is no reason for you to die." He said as he slowly mended that broken flesh. He had to be careful, with the power of his incredible reiatsu. He could easily damage the man, especially in his drained condition.

"And yet, you are helping Aizen." The man… what was his name again…? Said with a weak chuckle. Starrk frowned, not really understanding. Then he shrugged, uncaring.

"I love him." That was all that mattered, the love and warmth that had entered his life. Looking into the other man's face, he saw something that surprised him. The man's eyes were wide and his expression was completely shocked. Why would he look like that? Starrk had already told him…

Then the pain hit him. It was massive, all-encompassing, and radiating from his chest. Starrk gasped and looked down, his horrified gaze resting on the sword that had just impaled him from behind. How had he not felt it coming? Who could have surprised him so completely? Someone… he trusted… completely…

Starrk turned his head, looking over his shoulder, his grey eyes wide. That kindly smile, those warm brown eyes… Aizen knelt beside him as he struggled to breathe, his mind still cushioned by the shock. A hand went through his hair, stroking the heavy chestnut strands as Starrk heard Lilinette screaming in the back of his mind.

"Ah, Starrk. You remind me so much of Hinamori… and just like her, you must die." He said before freeing his sword. The gush of blood was massive and Starrk was vaguely aware that his heart had been pierced. He coughed, bringing up blood just before he slumped over, falling on top of the man whose life he had just saved. It was a pity he couldn't return the favor… Starrk lifted his head, looking into that man's eyes. Arms went around him and he could see the grim look on his face, the compassion in his eyes.

_So strange._ Starrk thought vaguely, as darkness began to eat away at his vision. _The man I thought I loved just killed me. The man I tried to kill… is holding me as I die. _It seemed so terribly wrong. And why was he so afraid to die? Why did he feel such dread at the thought? Lilinette was crying. He could hear her voice, echoing in the back of his mind. Chattering things seemed to gather at the edges of his mind. When he died, something bad was going to happen…

Then the darkness dragged him under and he knew nothing more.

* * *

"Kami." Shunsui whispered as he looked at the dead man in his arms. Pale grey eyes were wide and empty, his blood covering them both. It was still warm, just starting to become tacky. "Why?" Why had Aizen killed a man who was so intensely loyal to him? Shunsui thought he would remember the look on Starrk's face forever. Had that been how Hinamori had looked, when Aizen had stabbed her? "…" Was there nothing he could do? But the man was dead and he was too badly hurt to battle further.

Then his head went up as he felt something familiar. Unohana and… Orihime? His breath catching in his throat, he forced himself to his feet, carrying the man. There was one person who could heal even this and Starrk's body hadn't dissipated yet. He could be saved. And somehow, despite everything he had done, Shunsui didn't want him to die. The kind, rather confused man with the sad grey eyes.

He deserved better than to die this way.

* * *

Starrk reached up to touch his reiatsu restrainer, wishing he was still dead.

_We have to tell them, Rouga._ His zanpakuto whispered and he sighed.

"Please, call me Starrk." It wasn't his name, of course, but his real name brought him so much pain. Why had they brought him back to life? Kami, it hurt so much. He winced as he felt his zanpakuto's ire.

_Stop being a wuss! You have to tell them and soon! Or they're going to execute you!_ She said and he honestly wished he could just let it happen. Both because he'd killed that one poor man – Juushiro's body had been destabilized by the blast he'd taken, there hadn't been enough left for Orihime to save – and because of what was going to happen. The fact that Aizen's love had been nothing but manipulation hardly impacted him at all, now. With the fullness of his memories he knew he'd been very vulnerable to that sort of thing.

"I know Mai. I know." He whispered before sighing. He had to do it. He simply had to. Going to the front of his cell, he spoke to the guard there. "Please, can you tell Kyoraku Shunsui that I wish to speak to him? I have something important to say." Starrk had observed the man trying to save Juushiro, after his own life had been restored by Orihime. He remembered the agonizing pain the man had suffered as his best friend had dissolved in front of his eyes. And the near hatred that Shunsui had turned towards him, just afterwards. Starrk hadn't been able to do anything but look away. His own healing powers were great, but not as good as Orihime's.

It took a while for Shunsui to arrive. Starrk was honestly a little surprised that he came at all. If he hadn't, what would he have done? He wasn't sure. Asked for someone else, perhaps. But he didn't know many of the taichou by name.

"What is it?" Shunsui didn't come into the cell, just staring at him from the other side. Starrk could see the anger and the pain in him, the suffering in those grey eyes. Sighing, he looked down. It might be better for Juushiro that he was dead and gone for rebirth, but Shunsui didn't know that yet.

"I'm sorry. But I have a story I must tell you." He said softly and Shunsui frowned. "You have heard that I am the lost prince?" Several of the Espada had been taken alive and they had mentioned Tosen's beliefs. Starrk had always forgotten about that, partly because he sensed it was untrue anyway. Shunsui nodded.

"The prince who committed a grave, terrible crime and was exiled to Hueco Mundo for his savagery. His name and past taken away from him, as punishment for his blasphemy." He said, his voice harsh. Starrk only smiled sadly, taking no offense.

"That story is a lie. It was put out by the Soul King of the time, although it caused him much pain to slander his son's name." He said softly and Shunsui frowned at him, clearly not believing him. "Unfortunately, I remember everything now. And I will give you the true story."

"Long ago, the primary duty of shinigami was not to purge hollows. That was a secondary duty, at most. Our primary duty was to fight demons." He said, knowing that Kyoraku would be aware of it. But it was truly ancient history. The man across from him nodded. "It was a never ending war and souls were the currency. In that time, there was a man, a prince of the highest royal blood. His name was Fukumi Rouga." The last name had been from his mother. Only the actual heir to the throne took the Soul King's name and he had not been that. "He was a general, a warrior without peer. He faced thousands of demons on the battlefield, defeated demon lords personally. He obliterated them, allowing the souls they had consumed to escape to their rightful places. He led his people to hundreds of victories and they revered him, despite their own losses." Starrk said, remembering those losses. It had cut into his soul, seeing his friends and allies fall. "Those deaths pained him, deeply. But he fought on and on, because there was nothing else he could do."

"Finally, the greatest of victories came." Starrk said, remembering. How sweet yet bitter it had been. "The great mother of demons was dealt an enormous blow. She could not be destroyed but her power was shattered and she was forced into rebirth. Of course, all that meant was a brief reprieve. In a few hundred years she would have been back to torment us again. So… we devised a binding." Starrk took a deep breath as Shunsui frowned but did not interrupt. He was clearly wondering what the point of this story was. "The binding was six pillars of stone, each sealed with the blood and soul of a bankai wielding shinigami." Starrk said plainly and his eyes widened. "A sacrifice of blood and death, but it was required to seal such a horrible thing away. However, more was needed. And that was a sacrifice of life."

"To cement the seal and make it eternal, a connection to the Soul King's throne was forged." Starrk said, remembering the situation. "The great general, the man who had gained the victory, volunteered to be the sacrifice. Six of his shinigami were already giving their lives. He could do nothing else." Starrk shuddered slightly, his voice rough as he continued. "He gave up his memories, his history, even his name. He became nothing but a vessel for the King's power, endlessly flowing to the binding."

"But this arrangement had a critical weakness and that was the prince himself." Starrk said softly as understanding began to dawn on Shunsui's face. "The Soul King knew that his son would be hideously vulnerable to manipulation and with his power, he could be used in various ways. Worst of all, he would be vulnerable to treachery and someone, unknowing, might slay him and so end the binding. So he sent his boy to Hueco Mundo and put out the story of his hideous crimes, all to keep anyone from seeking him out. Even his name was erased from history, so no one would know to look." He paused, looking at the shinigami across from him. Shunsui seemed uncertain now. Wanting to think that Starrk was lying, but deeply afraid that he wasn't. "I'm sorry. With one blow of his sword, Aizen did more damage than anyone could have imagined."

"For a moment, I was truly dead and my link to the King's throne is broken. Even as we speak, the pillars are shattering as the souls of the dead go on to their well-deserved rest." Starrk could not regret that. Those six brave, amazing men and women had given enough. It was time for them to rest. And yet… "I'm sorry. Within the month, the binding will fail completely and the land of demons will return to your reality. The great peace is over, and the great war begins again." Starrk wondered, as he looked at the man, if he would be alive by next year. He was great and powerful but he'd fallen to Starrk. Admittedly, very few demons and demon lords could hold against the Wolf Prince. But they rarely fought individually. No, they loved to attack in groups, especially against powerful shinigami like Shunsui. "I'm sorry." He whispered, feeling the pain of it. "So very, very sorry." He reached up to rub his eyes, feeling the wetness there. Looking up, he met Shunsui's eyes again, seeing the disbelief and dawning horror in his face. "I ask you to please execute me. I can't do this again. I've fought too much, done too much. I just… can't do it again." He knew that was cowardly. But hadn't he done enough? He'd bought them ten thousand years of peace. "I'm sorry." All he had now were futile regrets.

The binding had lasted a long, long time. But ultimately, nothing lasted forever.


	26. Prisoner

Starrk didn't like any of this.

Ulquiorra had known he wouldn't, which was why he'd gone about it in such an underhanded manner. Starrk had been told that Szayel needed him for a project and he should take Lilinette with him, as well. The Primera had been less than thrilled but he'd dutifully gone, wasting time along the way. Just as Ulquiorra knew he would… he'd given the Quatro all the time he needed. By the time Starrk had reached Szayel and found that the rather confused scientist had absolutely no need of him, it had been too late. A quick sonido back to his quarters had revealed something strange, to say the least.

"WHAT is this?" Starrk asked, appalled. There was an unconscious man chained to his wall. His head was down, his chin on his chest and his long white hair was shading his face. Ulquiorra just met his glare with an emotionless stare.

"You are responsible for this prisoner. Take care of him until Aizen-sama calls for him." He said before vanishing in sonido.

"Wait – damn." He was already gone. Lilinette and Starrk shared a glance before looking at the man in front of them. He didn't stir.

"That looks super uncomfortable." Lilinette finally broke the silence and Starrk nodded. The way the man's arms were fixed above him definitely did not look like a good way to exist. "Can we get him down?"

"Um…" Starrk lifted the man's chin and relaxed slightly as he saw there was a powerful retaining collar on him. "He must be a taichou. Hmm." Curious now, he examined the stranger. He had very fine features. The color of his eyes was unknown, as they were closed at the moment. "The chains…" Examining them, Starrk found they were heavily impregnated with the hogyoku's power. Not even his strength would be breaking them. There was a lock, but he hadn't been given the key. "Hm. Interesting." Aizen definitely didn't want this prisoner getting away. "I wonder why they put him with me?" This place did have dungeons. Maybe they thought someone would be coming for him and thought that putting him in the Primera's lair would make things even more difficult for rescuers. That was a pretty good bet, Starrk rarely ever stirred out of his wing.

"…Well, he's awfully boring." Lilinette said after a few more moments of examination. "Get me when he does something interesting. I'm going to go play." She skipped out and Starrk shrugged before going to fetch a cushion. This wasn't his usual sleeping place but it probably behooved him to be here when the man woke up. Not that it would do him much good, really.

* * *

Juushiro woke up to pain all through his back, shoulders and arms.

Trying to understand what was happening, he lifted his head and blinked. As he did he realized his hands were held above him and all his weight was on his arms. Wincing in pain, he quickly got his legs under him and took a kneeling position. That was practically the only position he could take, with his hands like this. As he did, he remembered what happened.

"Oh kami." He whispered. He'd been captured. Looking around, he expected to find himself in some kind of dungeon or torture chamber. Instead, he seemed to be in a rather boring room with white walls. It was empty of furnishings except for something rather peculiar.

That was a cushion, occupied by a man. A tall, lean looking man, wearing a white and black outfit that matched the uniforms of the ones who had taken him. He had a small, spade beard that reminded him of Shunsui as a youngster. It was impossible to say what color his eyes were… even if he hadn't been sleeping, there was a cushion over his upper face… but Juushiro could see dark chestnut hair, spilling over that cushion. Looking down, his gaze paused on the hollow hole and mask fragment. Not a surprise, but still unwelcome. Taking a deep breath, he decided he needed to get the man's attention.

"Ah… hello?" The soft snoring continued. "Hello?" Juushiro sighed to himself as the stranger remained oblivious. If he was anything like Shunsui he might need a poke, but that was not something he could do. "Hello!" He said it as loudly as he could without shouting. Still nothing.

Then, the door to the room opened and a little girl walked in. Juushiro stared at her, taken aback. He hadn't been aware that child arrancar existed. He smiled at her but she wasn't looking at him. Her attention was fixed on the somnolent form in front of him. She walked over to the man, just examining him for a moment before kneeling beside him and lifting a hand. Juushiro opened his mouth to say something – he wasn't sure what – when she abruptly jammed her hand down his throat.

"Auuuugh!" That shocked the man into wakefulness and made Juushiro stare, eyes wide in surprise at the incredibly rude awakening. "Gonna puke, gonna puke!" He gasped, gripping his throat as the little girl laughed wickedly.

"Yeah, yeah, we know! Come on Starrk, the shinigami is awake!" She said and that seemed to pull the bigger arrancar away from his pain. He looked up, wiping away a bit of spit as he did. Juushiro saw that his eyes were a soft grey.

"Ah, he is? He is." The arrancar flopped back onto his cushion, waving a hand. "Hi." He dropped his head then, seemingly in danger of falling asleep again. A hard fist to the head fixed that and he yelped in pain before sitting up. "Lilinette!"

"Come ON Starrk! Stop being a lazy bum! You have to be curious about him! I know I am!" She said and Juushiro blinked. Hadn't the arrancar been given any information? That made him wonder what position they held in Aizen's forces. Perhaps they were nothing but a pair of adjuchas-level menos, glorified jailers. With the retaining collar he was wearing, he honestly couldn't tell. Starrk sat up, rubbing his head with a sigh.

"Okay, okay, I'm up. So who are you?" He asked and Juushiro smiled at him. Not that he thought it would help, exactly, but it might be good to build a rapport with his captors.

"I'm Ukitake Juushiro." He said and Starrk tilted his head, still curious. "Taichou of the thirteenth. And you?"

"Coyote Starrk. This is Lilinette Gingerbuck." He gestured to the girl, who waved at him with a grin. Juushiro's smile at her was more genuine. He liked children, he always had. Although Starrk had failed to give him any rank, he noticed. "So… Ukitake… did you piss someone off? You're in a rather bad spot." He said, waving at the chains. Juushiro sighed softly.

"Well, I did kill several arrancar." He admitted. "One of them was quite powerful." That had no doubt irritated their leader. Starrk considered it a moment before shrugging.

"Well, we were attacking you. Can't see how I can complain…" He yawned before frowning. "Are you hungry?" He asked and Juushiro blinked as he realized he wasn't just hungry… he was starving. As if on command, his stomach growled. "Yes. Lilinette, go get him some food. And get the key to those chains off Ulquiorra." He ordered and the little girl nodded.

"Sure thing!" She left in a burst of sonido and the lazy arrancar yawned before slumping down on his cushions. He began to doze again, but lightly. Juushiro just watched, hoping they would get the key to his chains. Escape would still be unlikely but then at least he would be a bit more comfortable.

The little girl came back with a plate of sushi, complete with ginger, soy sauce and wasabi. His stomach growled again at the sight and the man on the cushions lifted his head. But then the little girl spoke with a frown.

"Yeah, Ulqui-jackass wouldn't give me the key. He says to leave the shinigami chained up." She said and Starrk frowned at her, running a hand through his hair.

"How does that idiot expect him to eat like that? Does he want us to feed him by hand?" He asked and Lilinette grimaced.

"Yeah, I asked him that. He said we shouldn't feed him at all." She said, her tone disgusted and Starrk's hand froze. Then he lowered it and Juushiro was glad to see an outraged expression on the arrancar's face.

"He expects us to just watch as he starves?! That is NOT in any way acceptable. And shinigami make waste! How the hell is he supposed to piss like that?" He asked and Juushiro blinked, then winced. Those words had just reminded him that his bladder was a bit full. Lilinette just sighed and rolled her eye. "Go tell him – no, I'll do it. Can you feed those to him while I'm gone?"

"Um… sure I guess." The little girl looked at the sushi tray dubiously before shrugging. Starrk quickly vanished and Juushiro contemplated refusing for a moment. Being hand fed was a bit degrading. But he was very hungry and it wasn't like they even wanted to do it. "So do you like this green stuff or this brown stuff?"

"A tiny bit of the green, please." He said politely. She sniffed it before wrinkling her nose. "Not too much, it's very hot."

"Smells whiffy. I don't know food like this, it's not what I ate when I was alive." She commented before using a chopstick to smear a bit of the wasabi on a roll. Then she picked it up with the chopsticks, offering it to him. It was a bit large but he managed to take it whole. "Wish I had a knife to cut these up with. Sorry."

"Mph." He had to concentrate on chewing and swallowing before he could respond. It really was a bit of a mouthful. "It's fine. You handle the chopsticks well." From what she'd said, they couldn't be her usual tools. She shrugged.

"Aizen an' the freaks don't believe in knives and forks. And I like to eat stuff sometimes so I'm getting good with these things. Starrk can't be bothered." She said before picking up a bit of nigiri. "More green stuff?"

"Please." They were half-done the tray by the time Starrk came back. He had no key, but he did have information.

"Ulquiorra is a pest… apparently, he didn't think you needed more information. Basically, they're setting up a special field around my wing so the shinigami won't be able to leave it, when they're done." Starrk explained as Lilinette looked at him curiously. "It's going to take at least a day. We'll get the key when they're finished and satisfied it works. It's going to be tied to his retaining collar."

"Oh, so we won't have to watch him? I'd wondered about that. I mean, everyone knows you'd just fall asleep and let him escape. Not that there's much to escape too…" She rolled her single eye and Juushiro winced at the thought. How could he get out of Hueco Mundo? Although he could have caught an arrancar and threatened them into making a garganta, he supposed. If he had his sword or reiatsu. Starrk nodded, slumping back on his cushion.

"But for the day until we can get those chains off, we have to 'tend to his physical needs'." Starrk said with a high degree of sarcasm and Lilinette groaned. "Ulquiorra had the idea that if we didn't feed him he wouldn't make waste. I explained to him that it doesn't really work that way."

"Fuck! He's so smart yet so dumb. Guess that's what happens when you can't remember a thing. Not that we can remember much but we know potty breaks don't work like that. So we just have to deal with it?" She groused and Starrk nodded morosely before shooting him a glance. Juushiro was trying to look stoic, but it was hard. These arrancar would have to… what? Hold a chamber pot? This was disgusting and degrading!

"Well, anyway… do you need something to drink?" Starrk asked and Juushiro nodded with an internal sigh. "I'll get that." The arrancar left the room and Lilinette offered him another piece of sushi. Soon Starrk was back with a glass of water and he drank gratefully. It was a bit difficult with the arrancar holding it to his lips, but they managed.

"Thank you for this. I can see it's an imposition." He apologized but the tall man waved it away with a small smile.

"You are not the one imposing. That's Ulquiorra." Starrk sounded a touch annoyed at him. Juushiro wondered who Ulquiorra was, although he guessed it was the pale arrancar with the green eyes who had helped capture him. "Hmm, let's see if we can use some cushions to make this more comfortable…"

It took a while, but Lilinette and Starrk both managed to arrange cushions beneath him so he could lower his arms a bit and rest more comfortably. Juushiro's knees were very happy at the change in position – kneeling had been hard on them – and he was very grateful for their efforts. Although there was one burning question on his mind.

"Starrk-san, if you don't mind me asking, what position do you hold in Aizen's forces?" He asked and Starrk hesitated a moment.

"…The Novena." He said and Juushiro noted that he was a terrible liar. And Lilinette was worse. She couldn't keep the incredulous look of her face.

"I see." Mentally he decided he was dealing with at least the fifth in Aizen's forces. Possibly higher. "I'm surprised that I would be put with someone that weak." He said evenly and the man's shoulders hunched a bit. "Perhaps you should try again?"

"Oi! Starrk's the damned PRIMERA! He's the first an' the most powerful!" Lilinette burst out as Starrk put his head in his hand. "So you better be respectful shinigami!" Juushiro swallowed hard at that. The Primera? From what he understood that was the highest possible rank.

"Lilinette." Starrk said half-heartedly before looking up. "He's been perfectly respectful the whole time, be nice." He said and she huffed at him. "Yes, I'm the Primera. I'm sorry if that distresses you." He said quietly and Juushiro met his eyes. He saw a surprising amount of kindness there. Shocking really, from any hollow.

"They're probably expecting someone to mount a rescue so they stuck you in a bear trap – OW! Starrk! What the hell?!" A scuffle broke out then and Juushiro couldn't help but smile, particularly when the bigger arrancar was soon overpowered and soundly beaten by the little girl. He was sure Starrk wasn't trying at all and it was honestly rather adorable. Although… bear trap… that made him lose his smile. Although these two didn't seem very frightening…

The rest of the day was spent chatting with the arrancar and just enduring as best he could. Starrk helping him with… necessities… was as humiliating and embarrassing as he'd expected. Starrk handled it with surprising calm, just gazing away with a zen like air as he relieved himself and fixing his clothing without comment. The Espada also fetched him supper, while his little friend dozed on the cushions. The food this time was yakitori chicken with various dips. That had the advantage that it was really very easy to feed to him.

Sleeping was almost impossible, despite the arrancar's attempts to make him comfortable. The next day, though, they got the key to his shackles. Juushiro groaned in relief as he was finally able to lower his arms and move from the spot. The first thing he wanted, though…

"Ah, where's the bathroom?" Starrk yawned and showed him the way. Briefly, Juushiro wondered why there was a bathroom when arrancar didn't need to use it. Then he decided they likely showered. Which reminded him… looking inside the shower he found several shampoo bottles and helped himself shamelessly. After tending to his needs and taking a very hot shower, he felt almost normal again.

The next need that he had to tend to was a rather urgent one, and that was for sleep. Juushiro felt like he might fall over at any moment. Going back into the room he saw that Starrk had joined Lilinette on her cushion. Smiling at them both, he grabbed the pillows and cushions they had brought in for him and quickly settled in.

He would think about escape later, when he could actually think straight. For now, he needed to rest.

* * *

Juushiro woke up from his nap to find that Starrk and Lilinette were gone. They weren't far away, though.

"Got a two?" Lilinette asked and Starrk shook his head. They were sitting on the balcony, enjoying the sun and the breeze as they played cards. Delicate, filmy curtains stirred in the wind and Juushiro gently pushed them aside as he stepped onto the balcony.

"Go fish." He said and she took a card from the deck. "Do you have a ten?"

"Yeah…" She grudgingly handed over the card as Juushiro watched. Then Starrk glanced over and smiled.

"Ah, you're awake." He set down his cards. "You slept quite a while." He ignored Lilinette's snort. "Do you need any food? Lilinette can fetch some."

"Oi! Why do I always fetch?" She protested and he gave her an amused look.

"Because you're the fraccion and you like to run around. I like to sleep. Remember?" He said and yelped as she suddenly kicked him in the stomach. "Ow! Lilinette." He protested mildly as Juushiro blinked. They seemed to have a very physical relationship. Although he'd already observed that, really.

"I wouldn't mind some breakfast, if you could, Lilinette-san." He said and she nodded, mollified.

"Okay. Hey, you take my place, I'm losing anyhow." She said before giving him the cards. He looked at them in dismay as she darted out of the room. Starrk smiled at him, amused.

"You don't know how to play go fish?" He asked and Juushiro shook his head, sitting down across from him. "I'll show you. It's not hard." It really wasn't and soon they were playing. Lilinette was right about her hand, though, and by the time the food arrived Juushiro had been defeated. The food this time was very simple, an omelet filled with mushrooms, onions and bacon.

"So I can move around but I can't leave your wing?" Juushiro asked as he sampled the food. He would have to test that, of course, but he was sure their measures to contain him would work. Starrk nodded, yawning.

"You can explore if you want. Or Lilinette can show you around. Either way." He waved with one hand before shuffling over to a cushion and slumping over. "I need a nap."

"Lazy bastard!" Lilinette said but Starrk was already dozing off. "Hmph. I guess he has kind of done a lot lately. Follow me, Shiro-chan." He couldn't help but smile at that term for himself. As he did, though, his mind churned with doubts and worries. Would anyone come to rescue him? He wasn't sure if he hoped for it or not.

As much as he wanted out of here, he didn't want to endanger his friends.

Author's Note: So sick. Going to die.


	27. AU - Ghoul

Author's Note: I got inspired for this after seeing a Tokyo Ghoul AMV. Although I'm going with a slightly different take on things…

* * *

"Shit." Shunsui cursed to himself as he tried to make his way through the smoke and dust without giving away his position.

Everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong. This particular area was a hotbed for religious extremism and there had been peaceful protests against recent edicts for days. That was fine, but everything had become distinctly not peaceful tonight. The explosions that had utterly destroyed a courthouse had been followed by insurgents, armed with guns and crude explosives. Now they were trying to take care of the problem and it wasn't going well.

Shunsui almost passed the young man by. He was trapped beneath a large piece of stone. But the pale hand sticking out from beneath the fallen masonry grabbed his ankle in a shockingly strong grip. Looking down, he paled as he realized what he was seeing. How could anyone be alive under such a weight?

"I'll get you out." He said and the grip on his wrist relaxed. How was he to do that, though? Slinging his gun over his back he quickly found a metal pole he could use as a lever. What followed was an incredible struggle. But he finally managed to push the rock up and the man beneath crawled out with a shocking but welcome agility. "Are you alright?" He asked as he let the stone fall back down, kneeling beside the man. After his amazing escape he had collapsed, his head down.

"I… am fine." The stricken man said, breathing heavily. Shunsui frowned as he saw the dust coated chestnut hair. Then he pushed himself up, taking a sitting position. Shunsui looked into his face, seeing a rather attractive young man with a spade beard and light grey eyes.

"You must need an ambulance." The weight of that stone… The man shook his head. Shunsui reached out to touch his mouth, check his breathing, then pulled back in surprise at the pain. "…?" Looking down he saw a droplet of blood on his thumb. He'd cut himself on… the man's teeth? Looking up he saw the stranger was looking at him with an odd look on his face. He opened his mouth to say something –

And was cut short as the man suddenly lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. Shunsui watched in horror as bullets impacted the body above him and… what?

The zing of ricochets made him fear for his life, despite his position on the ground. But then the man above him growled, and great tentacles of red suddenly slashed out. Shunsui turned his head to see them impact the shooters, biting deep into one chest and, for the other, through his head. Shunsui had to hold back a retch as the tentacles tore the men apart. Blood and guts and brains spilled on the ground as the two insurgents collapsed in a pool of blood.

"Hey Starrk!" They both looked up and Shunsui swallowed as he saw a little girl swinging down from the ruined second floor. She was using tentacles, sky blue instead of red, to help her down. She scowled at him and Shunsui reached over his shoulder for his gun, knowing he would be too slow even as a blue tentacle arrowed towards him –

And was stopped dead on a red one.

"Oi! Starrk! What gives? He saw you! Saw us!" The little girl protested and Shunsui looked up at his savior. The man looked down at him and his eyes were black with red irises. They looked terrifyingly inhuman.

"I know. But he saved my life." She looked at him in disbelief and he saw that her eyes were black with sky blue irises. It seemed the color between the tentacles and eyes matched… Shunsui also vaguely noted that her hair was light green, an interesting oddity.

"Shunsui!" That voice made him lurch to his feet, feeling a moment of fear. It was his best friend, Juushiro. Would these creatures…? But as Juushiro entered the building he felt them move. Looking up, he saw the two of them pulling themselves up the second floor, using their tentacles with consummate skill. They were completely gone by the time his friend reached him.

"What was that?" He questioned and Shunsui tried to think of what to say. "I saw a flash of blue and red." He hadn't seen much, then. Likely that was why they'd let him live.

"I'll… tell you later." Right now, they had bigger problems than a pair of monsters who had already vanished. Men with guns came first. But Shunsui would remember and report to his superiors.

Strange things existed in the world and they needed to be taken care of.

* * *

Shunsui frowned at the nurse who was checking him over. The man was taking his duty very seriously, inspecting every inch of his body. Shunsui grimaced as the man checked the underside of his penis. He was wearing rubber gloves, thankfully, but still…

"I'm sorry. I know it would make no sense to have a problem there, but I have to check everything." He said apologetically and Shunsui frowned at him.

"Can you tell me why?" This really was getting strange. The man shook his head.

"No, sorry. But I imagine you'll be told soon." He said before stripping off his gloves. "You can put your clothes back on." He said and Shunsui gratefully put on his clothing. Then he left the room to rejoin Juushiro.

Soon he and Juushiro were in an interrogation room with their superior, an old man named Yamamoto, and a complete stranger to them. He had blonde hair and liked to wear a strange, white and green striped hat. He turned an inquiring look on the medics following them.

"Only a few minor scrapes. Absolutely no indication of bites." His medic reported and Shunsui blinked, his mind flashing back to how he'd nicked his thumb on the man's teeth. He didn't say anything, though. It was an incredibly tiny wound, anyway. The second medic made his report.

"The same, except for a gash on his shoulder. But there's absolutely no residue in the wound and it's consistent with his story of catching it on a piece of broken rebar." He reported and Yamamoto nodded.

"Good. Shunsui, Juushiro, please have a seat." They both took their places as the medics left. "Let me introduce you to Urahara Kisuke. He will be explaining what you have witnessed." He said and the man beside him smiled at them cheerfully as Yamamoto left the room. He had important duties. They both looked at Urahara expectantly.

"Indeed! Have the two of you heard of ghouls?" He asked and Shunsui stared. Ghouls?

"I… I think I read about them in history class. I thought they were extinct?" Juushiro said, which summed up his own thoughts quite well. The man across from them shook his head.

"We encourage people to think that because it's less alarming but no, they are far from extinct. In particularly war torn areas, they are still quite prevalent." He said and Shunsui swallowed. "Sometimes they're even used as warriors! As you observed, they're quite immune to most normal weapons. And unlike most forms of undead, they function perfectly well in daylight. They also look quite normal when they're not in feeding mode. But that's neither here nor there… I have some pictures for you. Can you find the one that resembles the ghoul you met?" Urahara pulled out a very thin folder and spread out several pictures. Several were photographs but others were artists' renditions. They were all of men, although not all of them had dark hair. However, one immediately caught his eye.

"This one." Shunsui unerringly went for one of the artist's renditions. They'd captured the man perfectly, with his goatee and his handsome face. Even the vaguely sad air he seemed to carry about himself. Urahara took the picture and flipped it over before reading what was written there.

"The Thief. Ah, that's good." He murmured, almost relieved? "We can assign this a relatively low priority." He said and Shunsui frowned as Juushiro stared.

"A ghoul, low priority?" He didn't understand that. They ate people, it was what they did to survive. Urahara smiled at him cheerfully.

"How much do you know about ghouls?" He asked and Shunsui hesitated. He honestly didn't know much. It was Juushiro who answered.

"They're a form of undead and they survive by cannibalizing the bodies of the living." He said and Urahara made a small humming sound before shaking his head.

"That's not entirely true. They're actually scavengers with a preference for carrion." He said and Shunsui frowned at the thought. "At least, some of them are. Some seem to have a taste for flesh blood, either acquired or out of necessity. But most will take from corpses if they can. The Thief is a rather extreme version of that. We call him that because he will steal from funeral homes and crematoriums, getting to the bodies before they are embalmed or incinerated. He's even stolen from police morgues! He's really quite masterful at it. Often the places he steals from are completely unaware of the thefts."

"Eh? How could they be?" Shunsui asked, taken aback. If corpses vanished he would expect someone to notice! Urahara gave him a quick smile.

"Ghouls prefer organ meats although if given time, they'll consume the whole body. The Thief takes organs in particular. Liver and kidneys in particular are his favorites. He tidies up after himself… sometimes his thefts were only noticed because his version of autopsy sutures was neater than the real thing." He explained and Shunsui swallowed, feeling rather sick. "There have only been a few murders attributed to him and in every case, he stumbled on a crime in progress or was attacked. For a ghoul, he is extremely non-violent. We still try to catch him, of course, but he's very low priority compared to some of the others." Mildly curious, Shunsui carefully lifted up one of the photographs. 'The Gourmet'? "The child you saw with him, though. That's interesting, he's never been documented with a companion. Let me…" He swept up the photographs and pictures before pulling out a second folder. This one only contained three pictures. "Was she any of these?" Shunsui studied them carefully before shaking his head.

"No." He said. He was dead certain that the girl he'd seen was not one of the pictures in front of him. Strangely enough, that made Urahara happy.

"A new ghoul! But you said the color was sky blue? Intriguing. Here…" He pulled out a pad of paper. "Did you see her at all?" He asked Juushiro and he nodded.

"I saw her back a bit." He said, to Shunsui's surprise. He hadn't thought his friend had seen even that much. Soon Urahara was questioning them and sketching the results. Shunsui wasn't too surprised to find that the other was an accomplished sketch artist. Soon they had a serviceable rendition of the young girl.

"I wonder where The Thief found her? Turning a young child wouldn't be like him." Urahara murmured, looking at the sketch. "Although it could have been by accident I suppose. Ghouls can sometimes lose control in the presence of blood."

"Ghouls are created through bites, aren't they?" Shunsui said, rubbing his thumb absently. Urahara nodded.

"Yes. It rarely happens by accident, though. Someone who's bitten by a ghoul with intent to feed rarely survives… The change takes about two days. Hm… he might have just happened across her. Taking in a young ghoul, abandoned by his or her maker, would be like him." Urahara speculated and Shunsui nodded as Juushiro stared at the picture, clearly disturbed by the information. "Oh, thank you!" One of the medics had arrived with a box of donuts. "Please have one."

"No thank you. I'm not really hungry." Juushiro tried to decline but Urahara shook his head.

"I'm afraid I must insist." He said and they both stared at him. He smiled at them with a cheerfulness that suddenly struck Shunsui as a bit dangerous. "A final test. Ghouls can't eat normal food. It tastes foul to them and causes severe nausea if they happen to swallow it. If either of you were turning, you would already be showing the signs. So please, have a donut!"

"…Ah." Shunsui swallowed before selecting a crueller. He bit into it and was immensely relieved to find that it tasted like a normal donut, sweet and delicious. Juushiro frowned before picking out a donut with brightly colored sprinkles and taking a bite. Urahara watched them swallow and they could both see him relax.

"I'm very glad to see that. Dealing with victims of ghoul attacks… it's the least pleasant aspect of my job." He said and Shunsui could imagine it. What did they do with the poor people? Put them down as humanely as possible? Quite likely. "Well, that's all I need. You should both return to your duties. And please, don't worry anyone with this information. Ghouls really are extremely rare."

"Of course not." Juushiro said. They both knew how to keep a secret. Shunsui nodded. Although if they told this secret, many people would likely believe them. After all, vampires were far from extinct. Oddly, they were far more common than ghouls, from what he'd just learned. But they could feed without killing. Shunsui supposed that feeding from corpses posed unique challenges in an era where embalming was common.

Then they left the room and he thought no more about it. The test with the donut had reassured him. The little mark on his thumb had been too small to affect him.

He would be just fine.

* * *

"D-Damn." Shunsui bent over his toilet, breathing heavily as he looked at the mess he'd just heaved up.

It was four days after he'd met the ghoul. Four days since he'd given himself the slightest cut on one of the bastard's fangs. And now he'd made his favorite breakfast, pork and potato hash with eggs. Usually, he loved it.

Today it hadn't smelled right. And when he'd tried it, it had tasted… off. Almost slimy. He'd forced himself to swallow it anyway and immediately needed to run for the bathroom as his stomach rebelled. Breathing heavily, he shook his head.

"The pork must have been bad." He told himself. "Or the eggs. I'll have some milk." Yes. He would do that. Going back to the kitchen he pulled out the milk container and tried to drink from the carton –

And milk splattered across the floor as he dropped it, choking and sputtering. It tasted worse than the pork, much worse! He'd never tried raw sewage in his life, but if it had a taste he was sure it would be that. Gasping, he bent over, his eyes wide.

"No. No!" Frantic now, he began trying things in his pantry. Pretzels made him want to vomit. He couldn't even swallow them. Cookies were every bit as bad. Dates? Disgusting. Working frantically, he opened a tinned ham. Strangely, that only tasted off, like the hash. He could swallow it but when he did he had to run for the bathroom again. Soon he was looking at the mess in his toilet, panting and sick. "No…" He whispered, not wanting to face the truth. But he knew. It had just taken longer than it should have, because of the small wound. But it was happening. "What in hell do I do?" Pushing himself up he looked at the mirror –

And started violently before turning around. A rag covered hand slapped over his mouth and Shunsui barely had time to register black and red eyes and the strange, sickly sweet smell from the cloth over his mouth and nose. Shunsui knew it wasn't chloroform – that was largely a fictional device – but whatever it was went straight to his head. He only managed to grip the man's wrist before the room spun and twisted around him, like a kaleidoscope of color.

Then the color drained away into darkness.

* * *

Kyoraku Shunsui woke up to the slow, steady drip of water and a wonderful, appetizing smell.

Wrinkling his nose, he wondered what that scent could be. It was so strange. Gamey yet intensely attractive, it made his mouth water. Then he recalled everything that had happened and his eyes shot open.

He was in a nasty excuse for a room. The walls were dull concrete, cracked and crazed with moisture. Little bits of water dripped from the ceiling, caught in several plastic pails that had been set out. The mattress he was lying on was dirty, stained from the bodies that had lain on it. There was a warm comforter over him that fell down as he sat up, looking around.

The scent was coming from a plate nearby. Shunsui swallowed hard as he saw the organs sitting on it. They were old and cracked, dark from exposure to the air. Any human eating them would be asking for food poisoning, but not a ghoul. Shunsui panted softly, wanting them desperately. He could feel the drool gathering at the edges of his mouth. God, he was so hungry! Whimpering he curled up, trying to ignore that tempting platter. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't…

"You must eat." A calm voice said and he lifted his head, still panting. He saw the ghoul, the Thief, standing in the doorway. His eyes were grey and human now, calm and slightly sad. "Denying your need will only bring you pain."

"I can't." He rasped out. He knew it was irrational but Shunsui couldn't shake the feeling that when he took that first bite of flesh, he would be sealing his fate. There would be no going back. Grey eyes flickered and the man walked over to the plate. Shunsui swallowed back his drool and had to fight back a desire to attack, drive the other man away from the food. No, not food! That wasn't food, it was…

"You must eat." He repeated, picking up a piece and offering it to him. Shunsui's breath caught as horror and desire warred within him. "Starvation is the worst torment any ghoul can endure. Truly, you must eat."

"No." He whispered and the man in front of him sighed.

"Lilinette." He said and Shunsui yelped as sky blue tentacles suddenly went around him, pinning his arms behind him. He'd just opened his mouth to protest when that piece of flesh was shoved deep into his mouth.

…_!_ Shunsui's eyes went wide as the taste hit him. It was marvelous, delicious, everything he needed and wanted… he chewed without thinking, releasing more of the heavenly juices locked within. Caught up in utter bliss, he swallowed, nearly choking on the too large mouthful. The other ghoul gave him no time to think about what he'd just done. Another piece of meat was pressed against his lips and this time he took it eagerly, too caught up by his urgent hunger to even care what was going down his throat.

By the time he came up for air, the plate was empty and the man in front of him was smiling, faintly. The tentacles holding him released him but Shunsui hardly noticed, just staring at the plate and feeling sick.

"This can't be happening." He whispered, feeling the horror overwhelming him. There was a sigh and he felt the mattress give as the man seated himself beside him.

"I'm very sorry. I didn't want this and I know you didn't, but we have to make the best of it." The ghoul said and Shunsui looked at him, seeing compassion in those calm grey eyes. Then a loud, strident voice spoke.

"Yeah! And you just ate all the good bits. Stop being such a soppy mess!" The little girl stomped into view and he looked at her, really seeing her for the first time. She was young, no more than twelve and wearing a baggy shirt and jeans. Her boots were heavy, looking like they would hurt quite a bit if she chose to kick. "Jeez. Do we really have to take this guy, Starrk?"

"Lilinette. He saved my life. It would be incredibly poor recompense to allow him to die." The man admonished her and she scoffed. Shunsui frowned as he thought of something.

"Those… tentacle things of yours. Why couldn't you save yourself?" He asked. Were they not strong enough? The man gave him a small smile.

"They can only be manifested from my back." He explained. "And given the way that stone was pinning me, I was unable to force them out. And ghouls do need to breathe." He said, anticipating Shunsui's next question. "That piece of rubble was crushing my lungs. Lilinette might not have reached me in time. By the way, I am Coyote Starrk."

"I'm Lilinette Gingerbuck." The girl butted in. Shunsui nodded before introducing himself.

"Kyoraku Shunsui." He offered and the other man nodded. "How did you know I would turn?" He'd thought for sure he was safe. The other ghoul shrugged.

"I didn't. I've never heard of someone changing from such a small wound. At first, I thought you would be spared… but I kept a watch over you just in case. In the night, I caught your scent changing. Ghouls can scent each other quite easily and then I knew." He said quietly and Shunsui sighed, putting a hand over his face. "It just took longer than usual. Which is good, if the change had been normal your confederates would have put you down, or worse."

"Worse?" Shunsui asked, distracted from his own woe. "What do you mean?" He questioned and the ghoul, Starrk, gave him a small, brittle smile.

"That one man, the one who likes to wear the odd hat. I know him and know some of the things he does. He likes to experiment on us, see what we can endure and what we can do. I rescued a ghoul, once, that he'd held captive. Fortunately I don't think he realized it was me… but I would never choose to be at his mercy. He has none." Starrk said and Shunsui wondered if that was true. Would Urahara have used him for experiments? Suddenly he wondered. Although…

"I don't know if I can do this. Eating other people…" Even if they were already dead it was just hideously wrong. How could he live like this? There was a short pause before the other man spoke.

"I probably should not tell you this, but you do not always have to eat humans." He said and Shunsui looked at him, surprised. He seemed uncomfortable? "Let me tell you the history of ghoul kind. You should know this, now."

"Ghouls and humanity have always existed together." Starrk began to explain as Lilinette leaned against a wall, looking bored. "In times when humans lived in primitive tribes, ghouls were often considered trusted protectors. The bodies of the honored dead were offered up to them as sacrifices. Enemies, as well, were fed to the ghouls. In lean times, such tribes would feed their ghouls the organs of pigs."

"Pigs? That's possible?" Shunsui felt a sudden hope. Could he survive on something other than humans? Starrk paused for a moment before shrugging.

"Yes. And not just pigs. An African ghoul told me that monkeys and apes will do as well. Another ghoul told me that guinea pigs will work, in a pinch. However, there is a downside. A ghoul who tries to exist on purely animal sources will gradually begin to waste away." Starrk said and Shunsui swallowed at the thought. "They will lose their supernatural attributes and gradually begin to lose muscle mass. It is a form of slow starvation. If you attempt it too long, you will lose your mind and attack humans in an effort to feed." He said warningly and Shunsui closed his eyes before nodding. Somehow, that didn't surprise him. "However, not even all ghouls know this and we have successfully kept it from humans."

"Yeah, it's really useful when humans are looking for us, ya know? Switch to the pet store diet for a while." Lilinette said with relish and Starrk sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Trips 'em up every time!"

"Yes. Anyway, as I was saying… ghouls were revered and trusted. Then men began to cultivate grains and build cities, and things changed." Starrk took up the story again as Shunsui listened. "Some cities and cultures revered us, like vampires, but in most we became pests. Humans feared us and we began hiding our nature. However, in many ways, it was a very good time to be a ghoul. So many people in such small areas… disease was rampant. Bodies were everywhere, just waiting to be harvested. And ghouls are immune to disease. It was all so easy… the only real danger was humans. Often they would accuse us of spreading disease. False, of course, but the nature of our eating habits makes it understandable. Burning us alive was their preferred method of putting us to death. I lost a friend that way…" Starrk sounded so grief stricken for a moment. But Shunsui's eyes widened as he realized something else.

"Wait, how old are you?" Were ghouls like vampires? Did they never age? There was a pause before the man gave him a small smile.

"Old enough that I saw my people abandon hunting and gathering for sowing seeds." He said and Shunsui swallowed. "They say agriculture began ten thousand years ago. So… older than that. How much older, I cannot say."

"…And you?" He said to the girl, who rolled her eyes.

"I'm eighteen! Geez." She complained and he couldn't help but smile. At least he was older than one person in the room. "Oi, don't think you can treat me like a kid, old geezer!"

"Lilinette." Starrk's protest was half-hearted at most. "Mmm… eventually, humans came up with embalming. They were disgusted at our feeding practices and wanted to prevent us from desecrating their dead. It worked, all too well. Most ghouls turned to murder instead… I despise killing, even when it is necessary." The ghoul sounded drained and Shunsui nodded, remembering what Urahara had said about him.

"I know. He said that about you… did you change her? Or did you adopt her?" He asked, gesturing to Lilinette. "He also said it wouldn't be like you to change a young girl, but it would be like you to take one in." He said as Starrk looked at him. The ghoul sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Ah, that man knows me all too well… no, she's not mine. Her color alone can tell you that. My color is red… any ghoul I create will match that or have some derivative." He said and Lilinette suddenly interrupted.

"You're pink! Bright pink! I think you must be gay." She said with glee and Shunsui choked as Starrk gave her a glower.

"Pink?!" Surely not… but Starrk sighed before nodding.

"I'm afraid so. When I've taught you to bring out your kenserie you'll be able to see for yourself." He said and Shunsui noted the term. Was that what he called the tentacles? "Well, that brings me to the end. Except that now that we have taken you, we must leave. No doubt they will intensify their search for me when they think about the implications."

"Eh? Implications?" Shunsui said, distracted, and Starrk gave him a brittle smile. Lilinette snorted.

"He's got three mouths to feed! Ya think he's gonna manage that just by stealing?" She asked and Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. "Maybe he can cuz he's crazy but it's gonna be tough. They're not going to think so, that's for sure!"

"And they will probably be right. We'll have to see." Starrk said wearily before pushing himself to his feet. "Maybe I can step up my thefts, and take a few whole bodies. Although that's terribly obvious… but we need to leave for a new hunting ground. I already have the train tickets and things are running again… come." With nothing else to do, Shunsui followed the man who had changed his life, forever.

He didn't want to be a ghoul but unfortunately, it seemed it wasn't a choice.


	28. AU - The End Justifies the Means

"Shunsui, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He said as bravely as he could. It was hard, though. He and Juushiro were being held in separate cells, in a cold, dank basement. His friend was already looking sick from the damp in the air. His lungs were very delicate. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." He said before coughing. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'm sorry." He said softly. This was all his fault. Not that he'd done anything, really, but the kidnappers were after him. He was the child of a powerful, wealthy clan. The Ukitake was impoverished in comparison. Shunsui was only glad they hadn't killed his friend outright. They must have been tempted.

"Not your fault. Don't worry Shunsui, we'll be ransomed." Juushiro tried to reassure him and Shunsui looked away. He knew his father's feelings on that. He didn't believe in paying ransom, for anyone. He'd stated before that he would shoot the hostage before paying a copper. Shunsui knew his father well and didn't doubt he was perfectly sincere. That was terrifying for him.

There was no way the kidnappers could know that, though. The Kyoraku clan as a whole didn't share his father's feelings and they'd paid ransom before. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment, praying that his grandmother would intervene. She was the one who was likely to pay to have him back.

The door to the basement opened and one of their kidnappers walked in. They couldn't see his face. He was wearing a black rag across his lower face and another over his hair. The one thing they could see clearly were his eyes. They were grey, calm and thoughtful and without any hint of malice. Shunsui relaxed a little at the sight. He knew three of the kidnappers, by now. There was this one, the man with the blue eyes and the huge man. The blue eyed man was a cruel sort. He hadn't abused them much, just baited them but Shunsui could see the wicked amusement in his eyes. He had no doubt that man would enjoy causing them pain. The big man frightened him more, though. He didn't say much but somehow, Shunsui thought that he could be far more dangerous and unpredictable than the blue man.

Then there was this one. He said very little but he was clearly in charge. A single word from him could make the others scurry to obey his command. He treated them with some kindness, ensuring they had enough food and some blankets. He gave very short shrift to any escape attempts but otherwise did not harm them or allow them to come to harm. And his eyes glowed. It was very subtle, but in the dark of the cellar they could see just the faintest luminosity in those grey orbs. That was a sign of angelic blood, the blood of high royalty. Shunsui had no idea who he could be. The man was certainly a puzzle.

This time the man stopped to examine them for a moment. His gaze paused on Juushiro, measuring his friend in a way that made Shunsui hopeful. Then the man simply departed without a word, which was very much like him. When he decided something he rarely said anything, just leaving to do it.

That was the case this time. Soon he was back with the blue eyed man and a steaming mug of something. He had the blue eyed man handle the door as he carried the mug in to Juushiro.

"Herbal tea." He said by way of explanation and Juushiro took it, nodding as he sipped. Shunsui decided to take a chance and spoke.

"He has weak lungs. Can he be allowed out of here?" He asked and the man glanced at him, his grey eyes weary. He rested a hand in his hair, closing his eyes for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. But I will bring you more blankets, and heavier ones." He said and Shunsui swallowed before nodding. That was at least something. "My apologies. I know this environment is far from ideal. Our arrangements should be finished in a week."

"Oh." That… wasn't too bad. He was reasonably sure Juushiro could endure that long. "Thank you." He said belatedly and the man waved it away.

"It is nothing." He said before leaving. Soon, the blue man and the big one came down, carrying two comforters. The blue eyed man muttered about how stupid it was and the big one chuckled and said something in an undertone that made him laugh. The sound was so vulgar that Shunsui stiffened with a glare. The blue eyed man spotted that, though.

"Hey, pretty boy." His voice was rough, amused. Shunsui grit his teeth. He strongly disliked this man. Hate… well, not quite yet. Close, though. "What did you offer the wolf for this?" He asked and Shunsui made a mental note of that. Wolf. "Did you give him a kiss?"

"My friend is sick." He said civilly and blue eyes went to Juushiro, examining him for a moment as the big man opened the door. The blue one kept watch, ensuring there would be no ill advised escape attempts.

"That so? Well, I bet you'd get more out of him for a kiss. He swings that way." The man's chuckle was disgusting. "He's a good fuck, too, when you can convince him to put out." Shunsui just stared at him, wondering what in hell he was suggesting. Seducing the grey eyed man, obviously, but how? It sounded almost like the blue eyed man was suggesting talking him into it. Putting the whole thing out of mind, he favored the stranger with a glare.

"Just do your job and get out." He growled and the blue man laughed as they gave him the second comforter. Glancing over at Juushiro he saw his best friend was very distressed by the banter. He gave him a reassuring smile. One thing he was not afraid of was the grey eyed man's lusts. He was clearly not a violent man.

The next few days passed slowly. The grey eyed man actually gave them a few books, old and tattered things that he'd clearly owned for a long time. Shunsui was a bit surprised to see that the man was literate. It wasn't a common skill in the slums. It made him wonder, again, who this man was. Was this a noble plot of some sort? Was this man actually from a noble house? It was possible.

"Tell me. Do you play chess?" He asked on the third day, resting an arm against the bars of the cell. Shunsui blinked before nodding.

"We both do." He said, glancing at Juushiro. He was deep in his cocoon of blankets, sleeping. "But how…?" Surely the man wouldn't come into his cell.

"You can reach out of the bars." That was true, although it would be quite awkward. "And I can move the pieces for you. I'll get the board." He said and Shunsui wondered when he'd agreed to this. But it was something to do.

He soon discovered that the grey eyed man was an excellent chess player. His mind could clearly range ahead, see what would pass after several moves. It made Shunsui even more curious about him.

"I know you can't tell me much, but I can see Royal blood in your eyes. Are you a noble?" He asked at one point in the game. The grey eyed man didn't lift his gaze from the board, studying it thoughtfully.

"The one thing I cannot conceal… I suppose there is no reason not to tell you. No, I am not a noble. I am the bastard son of a Royal man and an exotic whore." He said softly and Shunsui nodded. That made sense. The grey eyed man took his move and leaned back a bit, looking at him. There was an edge of sadness in those eyes. "He took some joy in me, despite the circumstances, and gave my mother money to educate me. Alas, he met his own end long before I was grown. So my lessons came to nothing." He shrugged slightly. "It is the way of things."

"I see… but why didn't you try to join the Academy?" This man had to have such talent, such buried power. There was a silence and Shunsui looked up from the board to see that the man was looking away.

"That question, I cannot answer. It would tell you too much about me." He said quietly and Shunsui wondered what was wrong with him. Some kind of deformity? Something he thought would cause an immediate rejection? But what could it be? "The meeting has been set for three days from now. Things are moving swiftly." That made Shunsui tense.

"…My father does not believe in paying ransom." He said neutrally and the man across from him shrugged slightly.

"Any clan would pay to have their heir back." He said and Shunsui blinked, glancing towards Juushiro. His friend was awake now and watching them.

"What are you talking about? I'm a second son." That made him important but he wasn't the heir. He took his move and looked up to see the man was staring at him. It was hard to say with that black mask in the way, but just from his eyes, Shunsui thought he was startled.

"…You don't know?" He asked and Shunsui just stared at him, confused. "It happened at least a month ago…"

"Happened? What happened?" He asked, feeling a sudden fear. His older brother. They hadn't been that close, but they were brothers. What was the man saying? He reached up, trying to run a hand through his hair, but that was foiled by the black scarf over it.

"Word on the street is that the heir to the Kyoraku clan died in a tragic fall." He said softly and Shunsui stared, horrified. "The news is not that new. Why were you not informed?"

"I – I don't know." Although he did know. His father didn't believe in telling him things that he wasn't concerned with. And a tragic fall? That sounded suspicious. "Does anyone think it was an assassination?" He suddenly asked and there was a soft sigh across from him.

"Thoughts do run that way. Falling from the battlements when on a routine patrol is odd, to say the least." The kidnapper said and Shunsui nodded, swallowing hard. "That worries me. I do not wish complications in my own operations."

"What do you mean?" Juushiro questioned and the man flicked him a glance.

"If someone is seeking to eliminate members of the Kyoraku clan, during a ransom exchange would be a perfect time to arrange a fatality." He said and Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment. Yes, he could see that. "My security is very good. My men have learned the value of absolute silence. I worry about the Kyoraku clan's end of things. If there have been loose lips…" He shrugged and Shunsui saw Juushiro bite his lip. "But I cannot affect that. I can only plan my escape routes well in case things do not go as planned."

"And me?" Shunsui said softly, seeing a flicker of confusion in those grey eyes. "And Juushiro?" Their eyes met and the confusion turned to understanding. If everything went badly they would be nothing but a hindrance to the kidnappers.

"I will see to your welfare personally." The man said after a moment and for some reason, Shunsui trusted him. "…Tell me. How old are you?" He suddenly asked and Shunsui blinked.

"Uh, I'm seventeen." He was only a few years away from graduating. There was a soft laugh from the man across from him.

"Ah… would it surprise you to know that you are older than me?" He said and that honestly shocked Shunsui. The man across from him seemed very mature. He kept toughs like the blue eyed man and crazies like the large one under control with hardly a word. "I suppose living on the streets does that. Mmm… well, I believe I have won. Checkmate." He said and Shunsui looked at the board, grimacing as he realized the other man was right. He could stretch it out for a while, but he was done for.

"I concede." He said, tipping over his King. "Would you like to play again?"

"Please." He set up the board again and this time, Shunsui took the first move. Smiling, he realized he was enjoying himself. This man was an exceptionally good player. But he was also very good.

Perhaps this time, he would win.

* * *

Shunsui stood proud and straight, trying to ignore the knife at his throat. The hand holding it was steady, at least.

They were waiting for the Kyoraku delegation to arrive. This particular meeting point had been chosen by the grey eyed man and he'd modified it, creating several escape routes for his men in case everything went wrong. Shunsui knew that from a few idle comments he'd made, about looking after his people. The grey eyed man did not precisely care for them, but felt that as the one in charge, it was his duty to ensure they were not walking into a trap unprepared.

When the group from his clan arrived, Shunsui was a bit worried. He didn't recognize any of them and remembered the man's fears about possible assassination.

"We have the money you demanded." One of them said and the grey eyed man jerked his head slightly. The blue eyed man moved forward to take it –

_Twang!_ Shunsui blinked as he felt an odd sensation of pressure. Looking down he saw a crossbow bolt right over his heart, but it had… hit a black and green shield?

"BREAK!" A voice shouted as he was still trying to comprehend how the man holding him had erected a mystical barrier over his body that had stopped a crossbow bolt dead. Then he was flung to the side, hitting the ground hard. He looked up and watched as the grey eyed man lifted his dagger and sighted. A fire of black and green flew from the end of the dagger, following the path of the bolt. Someone fell from the roof of a nearby building, on fire and screaming. Then the man engaged his enemies as the rest of the thugs and toughs scattered, finding their bolt holes. The one holding Juushiro abandoned him, running with the rest.

Shunsui pushed himself up, his hands still tied behind his back, and watched in amazement. They grey eyed man was a terrifying dervish and he clearly had full command over his Royal powers. He killed all the men facing him before quickly moving to his side.

"Damn." He muttered as he slashed the bonds on Shunsui's wrists. "Can I trust you not to stab me?" He questioned and Shunsui nodded. This man didn't want him dead, at least. The grey eyed man pressed the dagger into his hand and Shunsui took it. The man quickly pulled out a replacement from the top of his boot. He freed Juushiro and gave him that weapon, replacing it with yet another from his clothing. Shunsui wondered how many he had. "Come. I think the thieves' way is our best option."

"Thieves way?" he asked but the man ignored him, taking off at a lope. They had to work to keep up with him. There was another attack, this one arrows. Fortunately those mystical shields were still in effect and this time, Shunsui and Juushiro joined the man in tossing back spells at those who would do them harm. Their own spells were far more polished and Shunsui had a feeling the grey eyed man had never been formally trained, despite his control of his power. But then, how could he have been? Royal blood was not something the slums often saw.

Eventually they reached a large grate that led into the sewers. The man fiddled with it for a few moments before popping part of it free. Shunsui swallowed as he realized where they had to go. Then he squared his shoulders. Disgusting or not, this would likely be effective.

"Pardon me. Where exactly are you taking us?" Juushiro asked as they slipped into the sewers. Fortunately there was a walkway and the water level was low. The smell, though, was pretty bad. They tried hard to ignore it and the other man didn't seem to notice it.

"At the moment… probably to the Third District." He said after a moments' thought. "Then I will see about getting you as close as I can to the Academy, without endangering myself. The rest will be up to you." His voice went down then. "This has gone all wrong. Waste of time and money…"

"Thank you." Shunsui said. It felt odd to be thanking their kidnapper, but he could simply have abandoned them. That would undoubtedly have let him make an easy escape. The people who had come to pay the ransom had not been his family, that he was sure of. The man waved it away.

"It is nothing. Cleaning up my own mess." He said before coming to a halt, resting a hand on the hilt of his knife. "Oh… damn!" He quickly ran ahead and Juushiro and Shunsui followed. There was a crumpled form on the walkway. The man gently pushed the black scarf away, revealing the face of the dead man. "Oh Mikako, I'm sorry." He said softly before checking the body. "I see… a crossbow bolt. He fled here then bled out. We might still be safe." He said before rising. "Come, we need to hurry."

They eventually came to a ladder. The man went first, carefully shoving up the sewer lid and taking a peek. Minimally satisfied, he pushed the cover off completely and climbed out. Shunsui and Juushiro were both close behind.

Once they were out, though, Shunsui knew something was wrong. The way the man was holding his knife and glancing around told him that.

"It's too quiet." He said in answer to the unspoken question. "I think – ah." A stranger had just stepped out of the shadows. Shunsui turned and spotted three more… they were surrounded. He and Juushiro both readied themselves.

"I'm sorry." That voice was familiar and Shunsui's eyes widened as he glanced back. The blue eyed man was there, kneeling on the ground. "So fucking sorry… I had to tell them. I knew… you'd go that way…"

"Do not apologize. I led us into this." The grey eyed said evenly, looking at his friend. Then he turned his attention to the stranger holding him captive. "It seems I am a touch too predictable." He said and there was a harsh laugh.

"Yes, you are. Now hand over the children, scum, and I might deign to let you live." That voice. Shunsui could almost place it. But the man was wearing his own scarf, hiding his face.

"Like you've let my friend live?" The man asked and Shunsui glanced at him before feeling his gorge rise. Was the man's arm missing? "It's impressive that you stopped the bleeding. But I think I will not volunteer for such treatment."

"Very well. You can die instead." The man said before attacking. His sword was shaded with blue power and Shunsui could feel the strength of it. But then he had to fight his own opponents, leaving that one for the masked man.

He and Juushiro were hard pressed. They only had daggers, compared to their enemies' swords. But they worked together cleverly and they managed to bring down their enemies… in time to watch the other battle.

The grey eyed man moved with a smoothness that was difficult to believe. His power flared out constantly, licking at the other man, but blue power countered it. Shunsui thought the stranger had the edge in skill and age, but the grey eyed man had more innate power.

He proved that when he suddenly caught the other man's sword in his bare hand. That should have bitten in deeply, severing tendons and possibly bones, but impossibly, the grey eyed man held the sword. There was disbelief on his opponents face before the knife bit deep into his chest. The grey eyed man leapt back, waiting for the stranger to fall.

But he didn't. All three of them watched, shocked and horrified, as the man straightened with a laugh. The blood oozing from between his fingers was quickly slowing. They both heard the blue eyed man whimper, from where he was crouched. He hadn't tried to flee, likely because he couldn't. They might have stopped the bleeding but it could start again at any time.

"What…?" For the first time since they had met him, the grey eyed man sounded afraid. Shunsui swallowed hard, readying his own magic as he felt Juushiro do the same. That should have been a mortal wound. It had gone right through the heart, he was sure of it!

"You fool. I am blessed by the angels. No mortal or angelic power can harm me." The man said in a rough voice. "That boy must die to help end the corruption of the Kyoraku clan."

"What are you talking about? What corruption?" Shunsui asked, genuinely afraid of the answer. The stranger laughed.

"You will never know." He lifted his sword again but then the grey eyed man spoke. Somehow, his voice stopped the other.

"He is just a boy. I sense no evil in him. Whatever corruption you refer to, he is not a part of it yet." He said and the other snorted. "You would kill an innocent, in your quest for the greater good?" He asked and the other laughed.

"The end justifies the means." He said and the grey eyed man's eyes seemed to harden.

"Does it? Then I must apologize… for my own means." He said before sighing softly. "I so hate this… but I gave my word. By the ruby rod of Asmodeus, you will die." Baleful red light suddenly surrounded the man and the stranger's eyes widened. "You may be immune to the powers of heaven, but not the fires of hell."

"What?!" Then they were fighting again and this time, Shunsui and Juushiro truly could do nothing. "You… you are one of the tainted ones!" The grey eyed man ignored that, just attacking more strongly. "I will destroy you, devil worshiper!" Again, there was no response.

The battle this time raged even more fiercely than the first time. But if anything, the grey eyed man seemed to move even faster. His attacks were wilder but also more dangerous, full of brutal cunning. That was what finally won the battle. A feint within a feint… that dagger suddenly tore through the other man's throat, flaring with dark energy as it did. The man reeled back, choking and grasping his throat. The grey eyed man just watched, his eyes cold and pitiless as his opponent died. Then he knelt down, cleaning off his dagger before putting it away.

"…Are you a devil worshiper?" Juushiro asked into the silence that was broken only by the soft whimpers of the blue eyed man. The grey eyed man looked up from what he was doing before standing.

"No. And I find the question to be offensive." His tone was even but the anger in it was clear. Shunsui frowned at him.

"If you don't worship Asmodeus, how do you call on his power?" He asked sharply and the other man closed his eyes for a moment. Then he reached up and swept away the scarf covering his hair. "Kami!" Shunsui stared at what was revealed. He'd never, in all his life, seen a tiefling or a half-fiend. They were considered to be vile, contaminated creatures and never given entry to the Seireitei.

There was no mistaking the infernal bloodline, though. The grey eyed man had chestnut hair and a pair of rather attractive, black horns that curved backwards over his hair. Shunsui vaguely recalled seeing a picture of Asmodeus once. If the artist had gotten it right, the archdevil's horns were precisely the same.

"I am a nephilim." The man said, his voice tired and a touch sad, to Shunsui's ears. "My mother was a tiefling who could trace her ancestry to Asmodeus. My father could trace his to the archangel Tyrial. Please, do not mention it to anyone. I'm probably the only one of my kind in the city. It would be all too easy for your family to hunt me down."

"So that's how you call on demonic power. It's part of you." Juushiro whispered as Shunsui swallowed. The man nodded. Then Shunsui frowned as he remembered something. Going to the fallen man, he pulled the blue scarf away from his face.

"…" As he'd thought, the voice had been familiar. And it was worse than he'd feared. "One of the Royal Guard." That was… bad. Very bad. Was his family really dabbling in demonic magics? Had the Royal family decided to purge the Kyoraku clan? Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment. He would not let that happen. Glancing around, he saw the grey eyed man was busy now with his friend, carefully moving him. Juushiro was looking pale and sickened by the revelation. "Wait!"

"…?" The grey eyed man looked over, his eyes confused and wary. "What is it?" He asked, glancing around for any threats.

"I want to hire you as a bodyguard." He said, determined, and saw the man's eyes widen in surprise. "Bodyguards can be exotics." Admittedly a nephilim was a lot more exotic than most, but it would probably be allowed where a tiefling wouldn't. And he'd be a fool to let this man get away. The powers of heaven and hell, and he was clearly a man of his word.

"Shunsui, are you sure?" Juushiro sounded concerned but he kept his attention on the other man. He was hesitating, conflicted about something.

"…I would require two things." The man said after a moment. "Firstly, some kind of arrangement for my friend. One armed men do not fare well in the slums." He gently rested a hand on the blue eyed man's head and Shunsui nodded. He wasn't sure what he would do, but he would arrange something for him. He had to have some talents. "Secondly… I don't know what wages you are proposing, but I would need a payment of five gold pennies immediately." He said and Shunsui frowned at that. Why did he…? Their eyes met and he was surprised to see pain there. "My sister requires kido treatments, and soon, if she is to live." He said softly and Shunsui heard Juushiro gasp.

"I see." That explained why this man had kidnapped them. Kido treatments were very expensive in the slums. "Agreed." He said decisively. He had seven gold pennies saved up. He'd been saving them for midwinter gifts but this was about a thousand times more important. "I might be able to arrange something in the Seireitei – " He started but the man laughed.

"Not for a tiefling." He said gently and Shunsui flushed. He should have expected that. "By the way, my name is Coyote Starrk." He reached up and pulled down the scarf on his face. Shunsui blinked as he saw how handsome the man was, with his small smile and his neat little beard. How old was he, exactly?

But that could wait for later. They helped him with the blue man and soon they were at the gates of the Academy. Shunsui explained his new companions as a newly hired, exotic bodyguard – as any heir to the clan should have – and an armsman who had lost an arm in the fighting. That got the blue man prompt attention and luckily, there was no demonic blood there. As the medics worked on the man he thought about his next move. The first thing he would need was information, to see how far the corruption in his clan ran and who was moving against them. Perhaps he could use Starrk for part of that.

Like called to like, and a Nephilim was half-demon at heart.


	29. Redemption

_I should never have let myself get close to him._ Shunsui thought as he went back to his Division. He honestly couldn't believe what had just happened. His mind was still cushioned with shock. Had this really happened? Maybe it was a nightmare. Maybe if he pinched himself hard enough, he would wake up.

He knew better of course. He pushed open the door to his office and paused as he saw the arrancar there. Starrk was napping in a sunbeam, lazily passing his afternoon. Setting down the bag he was carrying he approached the arrancar, smiling sadly at the sight. He looked so peaceful there.

"Starrk, wake up." He said, gently resting a hand on the arrancar's shoulder. One grey eye opened, looking at him with vague curiosity. "I brought us lunch. Are you hungry?" The usual joke. Starrk was never hungry, arrancar didn't need to eat. Both eyes opened and the arrancar smiled at him.

"Famished." He said, his voice full of warmth and amusement. Shunsui smiled back and knew it would look genuine. He was a good liar, unlike the arrancar in front of him. And he just didn't know how to break the news. He picked up the bag again, bringing it to the little table they ate at. Starrk took a seat across from him, still smiling. Shunsui opened the bags, examining the arrancar as he did.

When he'd first been brought to the Seireitei, Coyote Starrk had been a hairsbreadth away from dead. Unohana had healed him a bit, before she had moved on to other victims. Unlike Halibel and her fraccion, though, he hadn't been able to flee them under his own power. The Primera had been completely vulnerable when a cleanup crew had gone through the ruins, finding any survivors. He'd been brought to the Seireitei under kido wards that were largely superfluous.

They were still superfluous, really. Starrk was wearing an extremely powerful retaining collar on his throat. Purified seki-stone and meant to hold the reiatsu of a taichou, it honestly wasn't necessary. The Espada's power had been permanently crippled by the loss of his zanpakuto, Lilinette. At first it had seemed like Starrk's mind was going to go as well, but he'd rebounded. Largely due to the strange friendship that had bloomed between him and the man who had nearly killed him.

Shunsui wouldn't have been surprised if Starrk had blamed him for the loss of Lilinette, but he didn't. He was a very fair person and acknowledged that they had both had no choice. The only one he truly blamed was himself. He'd said once, that if he'd only been more willing to kill, Lilinette would still be there. That was sad but very true.

At first, Starrk had been in very poor condition. Without his reiatsu to help, his recovery had been long and painful. But now, almost five years later, he practically glowed with good health. His skin was warm, his hair was soft and his body was muscled and lean. Shunsui watched as long fingered, strong hands opened the container and grey eyes brightened with pleasure.

"Sausage in a toasted bun! You shouldn't have." Starrk said, reaching for the mustard packets and the little container of sliced onions. Shunsui smiled, feeling melancholy as he watched. This was Starrk's favorite street food. It wasn't his, although he didn't mind it sometimes. The Espada squirted out the mustard as Shunsui looked at his own food for a moment. He'd picked up a bento box for himself. Picking up his chopsticks he idly pushed around the sushi as Starrk bit into his food, almost getting sausage juice all over himself. "Ah, any napkins?"

"Yes, right here." Smiling faintly, he passed them over. Starrk used them to clean his hands and the front of his robes, smiling.

They ate in peace for a while. Or rather, Starrk ate as he picked at his food. The Espada was sucking off his fingers, catching the last of his treat when he spoke.

"Things went that badly?" He said quietly and Shunsui lifted his gaze, surprised. "I'm not stupid, you know. You've been off since you entered the room. You got me my favorite meal and you're not eating yours." Starrk paused before giving him a small smile. "And you forget my sense of smell, and the fact that I've been dragged in front of Central 46 before. I know where you've been." He said gently and Shunsui stiffened before closing his eyes. The Espada was very perceptive, sometimes. "Am I going to the mukan?" He asked and Shunsui put a hand over his face, unable to answer. "Execution?" The other man's voice was so calm. Shunsui massaged his forehead, still struggling to think of what to say. "Ah. I see." He opened his eyes to see that Starrk was looking at him with concern. "Shunsui? Are you well?"

"Me?" That seemed like to most ludicrous concern he'd heard in his life. "I'm not the one who's going to…" He stopped, feeling anguished. But Starrk had no way to escape. He couldn't even use sonido, with that collar around his throat. The arrancar was doomed yet didn't seem to care. "How can you take this so calmly?" It made no sense to him. Starrk's eyes darkened for a moment and he sighed, reaching for a fortune cookie.

"It is what it is. I know you hoped otherwise but the truth is, I never thought I would be allowed to live." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui swallowed. "I was glad for how long it was taking. I enjoyed spending time with you… I'm sorry Shunsui. I know this must hurt you." Starrk looked at the cookie in his hands sadly. "I… should not have allowed myself to become so close to you. But I could not resist." There was guilt in his voice and Shunsui shook his head, reaching out to touch his arm.

"You shouldn't worry about that." He said quietly and grey eyes flicked up, meeting his. "My feelings are nothing compared to what is going to happen to you." Worrying about his feelings at a time like this… yes, it was a very Starrk thing to do. His coming death didn't seem to bother the arrancar at all. The cookie crunched and Starrk extracted the fortune, reading the little piece of paper. Then the corners of his lips tilted up before he chuckled. It was a soft, amused sound. "What does it say?" Shunsui asked, morbidly curious. Starrk dropped the little piece of paper, still smiling.

"It is a good time for a new beginning." He said lightly before eating a small piece of cookie. "What is death if not a new beginning?" He asked and Shunsui blinked back tears. "Ah, Shunsui, don't be sad. I'm not. Mmm, how long do we have?" He asked.

"The date hasn't been set." He said, remembering the meeting. He wished they could have at least given him that. Starrk ate another piece of cookie thoughtfully.

"I could be months. Why don't we spend them having fun?" He suggested and Shunsui couldn't help but smile. If he were the one on death row, he would be thinking the same. "Remember that bar you took me to the Rukongai, the one with the daffodil sign? I might like to go again."

"Amiko's. Yes, we can go." He remembered that Starrk had had a wonderful time dancing. Many of the women had been afraid of him but the braver had been interested in how different he was. The Espada had found companionship that night. Perhaps he would find it again. Shunsui hoped so, at least.

The man was right. They should enjoy the time they had left.

* * *

It took three months for the execution to take place.

They filled those months with all the fun they could manage. Shunsui even took some time off his duties, to spend it with the arrancar. The only thing that made it a bit difficult was the other shinigami. Many of them knew about Starrk's coming death and it made things awkward, to say the least.

Many of the shinigami thought it was unfair. Five years was not a long time for shinigami, but it was long enough for the arrancar to make some friends. With his non-confrontational personality, he'd gravitated towards others who tended to feel the same way. Hinamori, Kira, Juushiro and Nanao could all be counted among his friends. Seeing Momo hugging Starrk and crying on his shoulder had been a bit hard to take.

There might have been trouble but Starrk himself put an end to that. His quiet acceptance stunned everyone and when someone made an oblique suggestion, the arrancar shot it down. He wasn't interested in getting anyone else in trouble. And he'd said, with an honesty that was painful to hear, that he was looking forward to seeing Lilinette again.

So finally he was brought to the execution grounds, wearing the traditional white yukata. Shunsui watched, feeling old and tired as the Espada held his head high, his grey eyes calm and serene. His wrists were held in front of him in restraints, although it was hardly necessary. He was not inclined to try to escape.

"Have you any last words?" Yamamoto asked when the arrancar was standing in front of him. If his duty bothered him, he did not show it. Starrk considered that for a moment.

"Not just words. I have a request." His voice carried easily over the execution grounds. "Shinigami purify hollows with their swords because they will accept nothing else. But I am not just a hollow. I have reason and emotions, just like any plus, and I request that my soul be purified in the same manner. I ask for konso, not the end of a blade. I hope you can grant me this request." Starrk fell silent and Shunsui blinked in surprise. Suddenly there was a spate of whispering among the watchers.

_Can we do that?_

_Is it even possible?_ Those were the two main sentiments, and Shunsui shared them. Was Starrk's request even possible? He was no simple plus soul. Yamamoto raised a hand and the whispers died to silence.

"I will attempt to grant your request." So not even Yamamoto knew, but he was willing to try. The Soutaichou's cane vanished, revealing his sword, and Shunsui watched. When was the last time Yama-jii had given konso personally? He really had no idea but he suspected it had been a long, long time. "Konso." He said as he gentle tapped the hilt of his sword against the waiting forehead. The stamp glowed there in blue, brilliant as the sun.

And to everyone's surprise, it _worked._ But it wasn't the same as the purification of a single plus. No… this was like seeing thousands of plus souls cleansed, all at once. Starrk's body rippled and vanished as the blue glow spread and what erupted from him was a gush, a torrent, an ocean of souls. Blue sparks rippled through the air, each one special and beautiful in their own way. A few red and black spots were interspersed in the blue and Shunsui instinctively felt that they were going to a different destination, but they were small compared to the blue. Souls swirled upwards in a cacophony of light, until only one remained.

It was larger and more intense than any of the others. If the other souls were stars, this one was the sun, and it rose through the air with a brilliant light. Shunsui stared at, entranced, and wondered what it was. Was it a single soul? Or was it a composite, all the souls within Starrk that had been damaged and mashed together, creating this shockingly beautiful thing? Whatever it was, it drifted through the air before vanishing. And the arrancar was gone.

There was a long moment of shocked silence before anyone could say anything.

"Sweet kami." Juushiro whispered and Shunsui looked at him to see there were tears on his face. Everyone had been affected by the purification, even those who were usually known for being as sensitive as bricks. Yamamoto bowed his head for a moment before turning away.

"This duty has been completed. Please, return to your units." He said, his voice oddly gentle. But then, they had all just taken a massive shock. Gradually the crowd dispersed, quietly discussing what they had witnessed. Shunsui went with them and smiled to himself, sad but hopeful.

What would have been tragic had somehow become magical. Perhaps, this would not be the end for Coyote Starrk.


	30. The Games We Play - Part 2

Author's Note: A guest reviewer asked for a Shunsui mpreg fic. Haha… so anyway, the thought of an 'after war' fic where he was modified didn't grip me. Because why would Szayel do that? There's lots of females around. Then I had this crazy idea and decided to run with it… a continuation of The Games We Play. Enjoy!

* * *

Someone was definitely going to die today.

If he'd had his preference, that person would have been Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Unfortunately, the scientist was safely ensconced in the deepest depths of the Twelfth, surrounded by every bit of defensive weaponry and technology that his diseased mind could devise. Because he knew _exactly_ how his outraged victim would react when he finally realized the horror that had been perpetrated on him.

Shunsui was enraged but still thinking. And he knew that an assault on the Twelfth would just result in his sad failure and quick imprisonment. While he would no doubt be released fairly quickly, he would completely lose any chance to avenge himself. So now it was time for target number two.

He found that target in the training yard of the Sixth, giving some instruction to some young shinigami. Shunsui muttered a quick couplet, assuming his shikai. The bastard wasn't even going to feel him coming.

"And then you – " Shunsui was almost right. But Coyote Starrk's senses were preternaturally sharp and he heard the whistle of the blade just in time to successfully duck. Then the arrancar moved in a quick sonido… just barely blocking his enraged follow up blows. "Shunsui! What… are you… doing…?" Starrk was already hard pressed and hadn't taken his resurrection.

"Killing you." He said succinctly before continuing his barrage. Starrk's expression was turning from confused to panicked as he realized this was deadly serious. He managed to release his resurrection just before Shunsui could behead him and managed to stop his blow with blue swords instead. Shunsui disengaged to –

Feel his swords clashing against a new set of blades. Starrk was suddenly being sheltered behind Byakuya and Shunsui snarled.

"Get out of the way, Kuchiki!" He had his gaze fixed on the arrancar, who was looking at him wide-eyed. Byakuya didn't get out of the way, but he did snap at his fukutaichou.

"What did you do?" He demanded as he held off his irate fellow taichou. Starrk immediately protested.

"I didn't do anything!" The Espada sounded genuinely terrified, which pleased Shunsui immensely. He was still going to gut the bastard but maybe faster –

Then a very powerful reiatsu hit him and he froze for just a moment. That moment was all that was required for a voice to ring out.

"Hainawa!" Shunsui swore just as a rope of gold hit him. It was a low leveled bakudo spell, but that didn't matter in the hands of a skilled practitioner… and very few were as skill as Unohana Retsu. He fought it with all his might but then a voice spoke in his ear.

"Sumimasen, Kyoraku taichou." Nemu! He tried to evade but couldn't and the needle went into his upper arm, injecting him with some kind of sedative.

"Damn you all! I'm going to… kill you… Coyote… Starrk…" He managed, seeing wide grey eyes just before darkness overcame him.

* * *

"What did you do?" Byakuya repeated his earlier question, staring at his fukutaichou. Starrk just looked at him in utter confusion. They both looked as Unohana cleared her throat.

"I assure you, Kuchiki taichou, your fukutaichou is innocent in this incident. The same, alas, cannot be said for Kurotsuchi Mayuri." That made Byakuya's stare harden and Starrk blinked. "However, this is a poor place to discuss this. Could you please meet me at the meeting room in the First in approximately a half-hour?"

"Of course." That meant Yamamoto would be there. "Should I bring Starrk fukutaichou as well?" Byakuya asked and Unohana nodded.

"Yes. He is heavily involved." She said before turning to the unconscious man. Soon they had him on a stretcher, outfitted with more kido restraints. When they were gone Byakuya turned to his fukutaichou. Starrk was looking after them with a bewildered air.

"You have no idea what this is about?" Kuchiki asked, his tone more gentle. Starrk shook his head before biting his lip.

"No. But if Mayuri's involved, this isn't good is it?" He asked and Byakuya shook his head. "I wonder if he gave him something? A drug maybe?" Starrk ran a hand through his hair. "I wonder why he was so upset with me?" He just didn't understand. Byakuya gave the tiniest of shrugs.

"We will find out in a half-hour. Go prepare yourself for an audience with the Soutaichou." He commanded and that got Starrk moving. He went inside to freshen up and Byakuya gave his attention to the other shinigami in the practice yard, who were watching this uncertainly. "Return to your duties." He had no idea what was going on yet.

But very soon, he would find out.

* * *

Shunsui came back to consciousness to the prick of a needle.

"I have administered the antidote. He should be fully conscious within a few minutes." Nemu. He grunted as he remembered and struggled to open his eyes. He finally managed it and looked around groggily. His gaze fell on Starrk, sitting on the cushions and sipping some tea. A growl escaped him and his hand twitched towards his weapon –

"Ahem. Kyoraku taichou." Retsu. He cringed a little and let go of his sword like it was hot. "No hostile actions will be permitted here." He took a deep breath and looked towards her, then winced. Yamamoto was there too. His chances of achieving his revenge were about zero.

"Yes, Unohana taichou." He muttered before sitting up properly and looking at the tea in front of him. He wasn't even tempted to touch it. Someone was going to pay for this…

"Kyoraku taichou. Would you please explain why you attempted to murder my fukutaichou in my practice grounds?" Kuchiki demanded but he ignored it, just avoiding his eyes. He wasn't going to say it! Unohana sighed and took control of things.

"There is a great deal to go into. But the short of it is, he is pregnant." She said in a gentle tone and Shunsui's hands clenched. There was a dead silence from everyone around the table.

"…I'm no expert on shinigami biology but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that." Starrk said after a moment and Shunsui lifted his gaze to give him a killer glare. The arrancar flinched a bit, which was satisfying. It was hard to tell but Shunsui thought that Byakuya was stunned, behind his mask.

"Kurotsuchi. What has he done?" Yama-jii sounded most displeased. "And why is he not here?" He demanded and Unohana sighed.

"He is hiding, for obvious reasons." She said regretfully and Nemu just stared away. "As for what he has done… apparently, after Aizen's attempt to steal the Soul King's throne he decided to do some research on the properties of royal blood." She said before taking a sip of her tea. "As you know, everyone above fukutaichou level submits to blood and tissue samples. So he had many samples to work with, taken from high nobility." Everyone listened intently, Shunsui included. He'd mostly heard the word 'pregnant' and after verifying it wasn't a joke, had left to kill someone. He hadn't heard an explanation yet. "Royal blood is quite interesting. As the taichou of the Fourth, I was trained to deal with it by one of the Royal healers." She explained and they nodded. "The active form of the Royal blood passes through the female line. A woman will pass it to all her children, but a man will not give it to any of his." That made them exchange glances. "Given that the noble houses mark their descent through the male gender, active Royal blood is quite rare in Soul Society."

"However, there is an inactive version." She continued, her tone a bit regretful. "That is a genetic marker that almost all the noble houses share. It is possible for this marker to be converted to the active version, but it requires outside intervention." She said and Shunsui grit his teeth. He was fairly sure he knew what Mayuri had done to him. "This process would be fatal to anyone with less than an advanced taichou-class reiatsu, which is why Kyoraku taichou was selected. I will spare you the technical details, but Kyoraku taichou now has active Royal blood."

"How can this have led to a pregnancy?" Byakuya asked, which was foremost on all of their minds. Unohana smiled as she explained.

"Theoretically, because of the nature of this genetic legacy, if only a male of the royal line were left alive the royal line would end." She said. "Given how critically important this marker is, there seems to be a special attribute that only activates when a male of the Royal line is not in contact with anyone of the royal lineage. Normally, that would not have been a problem for Shunsui – as a high noble, he undoubtedly knows several people with the active genetic code – but Mayuri's interference caused this genetic legacy to become active." Unohana sounded regretful, now. "He is in the third month of a reiatsu-based pregnancy."

"And I'm still going to kill you for this." Shunsui growled at the arrancar across from him. Starrk looked suitably cowed. Then Unohana cleared her throat.

"_However,_ we have not yet run any tests to determine who the other parent of this child actually is." He stared at her, confused. Starrk was the only man he'd… Unohana smiled at him dangerously. "If you hadn't left so quickly, Kyoraku taichou, we would have explained that in this kind of pregnancy sex is irrelevant. All that matters is reiatsu, and you absorb that from female partners in the act of coitus." She said and his breathing stuttered with horror. Surely she wasn't…? "And while you are engaged with Starrk fukutaichou, rumors indicate that you have not abandoned the female gender. Correct?"

"I… uh…" Shunsui had thought there was nothing worse than being knocked up with another man's child, but he suddenly discovered he was wrong. Having to explain to one of his girlfriends that he was carrying their offspring… no. No! Just the thought made him shudder. Sweet little Kimi or fiery Aiko or even his lovely Nanao-chan… that had just been once! Sweet kami, they'd both been drunk! Unohana read the terror on his face and smiled sympathetically.

"Um, Shunsui? Can you please calm down?" Starrk sounded alarmed. Shunsui glared at him and was about to ask how he was supposed to do THAT when the arrancar continued. "Nemu has another needle…" He looked over his shoulder to see Nemu eyeing him thoughtfully, a syringe in hand. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on calming his breathing. He would not panic. It wasn't that bad. Well, actually, it was VERY bad but he had a grip on it. He was not going to panic.

"In any case, because he is an arrancar, a simple test will determine if Coyote Starrk is the other parent of your child." Unohana said which was a mild relief, anyway. He could find out which horrible scenario he was facing immediately rather than be tortured by waiting. "If it turns out he is not, we will have to resort to more in depth testing to determine which shinigami is the other parent." Shunsui almost whimpered at the thought and actually hoped it belonged to Starrk. At least he felt fine about beating the other man's face in. If it was a woman… how would he TELL them? I'm so sorry Nanao-chan but our one time drunken stand has left me pregnant like a male seahorse… Forcing away that horrible image he sat still while Unohana ran her test. "There is a very weak hollow reiatsu. Coyote Starrk is the sire of this child." She said, which gave him massive relief. He still wanted to kill the bastard, though.

"Can this pregnancy be aborted?" Yamamoto asked, which gave him a moment of hope. He deliberately ignored the horrified look on Starrk's face. He wasn't the one carrying the damned thing! But Unohana shook her head.

"No. This kind of pregnancy is very delicate and the period where it could be safely terminated is past." She said and he swallowed, hard. "Any attempt now would lead to Kyoraku taichou's death via reiatsu bleed."

"You're dead." Shunsui growled at Starrk, who winced. Then Byakuya spoke.

"Kyoraku taichou. I understand your feelings but Starrk fukutaichou is blameless in this instance. You should remind yourself of who is to blame." He said severely and Shunsui grit his teeth. Byakuya wasn't the one who was knocked up! "What shall be done with Kurotsuchi?" He asked and that did redirect his attention. "At the very least, this is gross interference in the performance of another taichou's duties."

"Eh? Performance?" He asked, distracted. From what little he understood this 'pregnancy' would cause no physical signs and not harm his combat strength in any way. Well, a minor drain perhaps but he never used his bankai anyway. It wouldn't be an issue with shikai. Unohana smiled sympathetically before she explained.

"Kuchiki taichou means that you will be entitled to a full five years of parental leave, as the 'maternal' parent." She said and his muscles locked up at the thought. He could… that was so horribly wrong! "It's very unusual for a taichou to be in such condition. I think the last one was…" Her voice started to fade out. Shunsui was vaguely aware that he was panicking, hyperventilating. "Oh dear. He actually lasted longer than I thought he would. Nemu?" He hardly even noticed the prick of the needle.

Then, oblivion.

* * *

"He's really not taking this well, is he?" Starrk observed as Shunsui was stretched out on the ground, a pillow put under his head. Byakuya gave him a look like he was an idiot.

"He is a man and he is pregnant. I would say that is an understatement." He said and Starrk looked sadly at the body in front of him. "Would you expect anything else?"

"…No. I suppose not." He said quietly and Byakuya did not miss the sadness in the arrancar. But he had no idea what to do with it, so he ignored it. Turning to Unohana and Yamamoto, they began discussing precisely how to discipline their erring taichou. Only Unohana really noticed Starrk as he knelt beside Shunsui, gently resting a hand on his forehead before seeking out his belly, feeling the growth of reiatsu there.

Shunsui might not want this child, but Starrk had a slightly different opinion.


	31. AU - Ghoul Part 2

Shunsui sat in the train and gazed out the window, watching the scenery going past.

Being a ghoul was very different from being human. His change had only started the night before Starrk picked him up, so it hadn't gotten very far. Now it was complete, and he could truly see and feel the differences.

His senses were enhanced. His daytime vision was normal but his nighttime vision was so good, he might as well have been standing in broad daylight. His sense of smell was extremely keen. Shunsui fancied this was how a dog felt… right now he could name the various things the other people in the car had eaten for breakfast, if he cared to. Starrk was teaching him to use that but mostly, it would have to come with time. His sense of taste was radically different – everything except flesh tasted foul – and his sense of hearing was greatly enhanced. He was still learning to filter that out. Being able to hear conversations five cars away was annoying. The only thing the same was his sense of touch.

His body was also different. Urahara could likely have explained, but Shunsui only knew he couldn't be harmed by most conventional weapons. Regular bullets would bounce off, knives would break. Although Starrk had mentioned there were limits to that –

Shunsui looked up with a frown as he felt the train tremble? Starrk was sitting across from him, Lilinette sleeping with her head on his shoulder. Starrk looked up sharply from his book before glancing behind him. Shunsui extended his senses and smelled oil, metal, heat… something acrid…

"Shit." Starrk said briefly as he snapped his book shut. "I think we – " That was as far as he got before the world dissolved in chaos.

The train tilted alarmingly as everyone screamed. There was the shrieking of tortured metal before the whole thing went over. A red tentacle went around him as blue ones flew around, an instinctive reaction from a shocked and confused Lilinette. None of them hurt the other passengers… which didn't help them at all as the train violently derailed, sending bodies flying and shards of metal through the air like pieces of shrapnel. Shunsui accidentally sent out a single questing tentacle of bright pink in an effort to save himself. But Starrk did most of it, using his tentacles to break their fall.

And then it was over. Gravity did its job and the wreckage of the passenger train skid to a halt. The three of them also halted, tentacles dissipating as they glanced around. There were a few screams and the sounds of people crying, but what they mostly saw were torn, bloody bodies. Shunsui was vaguely aware of hunger, in the back of his mind, but he was mostly in shock. What had just…?

"…Wow. I totally wasn't expecting that." Lilinette said after a moment and Starrk glanced around with a frown.

"We were very, very lucky." He said and Shunsui blinked at him. He wouldn't have called their supernatural bodies 'luck'. Lilinette beat him to it.

"Whaddaya mean? We're awesome!" She said and Starrk sighed before pointing down the line of ruined cars. They were twisted together but Shunsui winced as he saw what the man was pointing at.

"Lilinette, we are ghouls, not immortal or indestructible. And we are not in any way fireproof. I prefer not to become barbecue." Starrk said firmly as they all looked at the inferno that had taken over several of the ruined train cars. Lilinette looked a bit taken aback.

"Oh. Um, right." She said, but quickly bounced back. "Hey! Was that an accident or did someone do that on purpose? Whaddaya think Starrk?" She asked and he shrugged helplessly.

"I wouldn't know. Shunsui?" He said and he blinked. It was the first time the ghoul had really asked for his opinion. Although they hadn't been together long and Starrk was undoubtedly a master at surviving as a flesh eating monster. However, he was a former member of the Guard. Looking over the remains, he came to a disagreeable conclusion.

"I think it was deliberate. We should probably get out of here." He said after a moment. "There will be military forces arriving soon and it's possible that whoever caused the derailment might be waiting." Shunsui could see no reason why they would want to get involved in that. Starrk nodded, pausing to examine one of the more intact bodies lying on the ground. He slid his arms beneath it, hefting up the body, which was that of a middle aged man. "What are you…?" He asked and Starrk glanced at him.

"Provisions for the trip. It will take us much longer, now." He said regretfully and Shunsui winced at the thought. "You should both take bodies as well." He said and Shunsui took a deep breath.

"Right." It was only practical. He knew that. And these people were dead. Swallowing back his disgust, he picked up the body of a woman, trying to ignore the still warm blood trickling over his hands. Lilinette found something easier for her to carry… the body of a child. Then they set off, generally following the train track but staying far enough away to feel safe.

"You know what the worst part of this is?" Starrk said as they walked and they both glanced at him. "We lost all our bags. My books are gone."

"Oh man, my clothes! You gotta steal me more clothes Starrk!" Lilinette demanded and her protector smiled at her fondly. "Hey, why are people blowing up trains anyway? That's awfully rude, ain't it? And does this mean there's going to be a war?" She asked with rather too much enthusiasm at the prospect.

"I hope not." Starrk was gazing away, his expression introspective. "So many lives lost… and while it would have certain advantages for us, the disadvantages might outweigh it."

"Whaddaya mean? You told me wars are great! Lots of bodies lying around." Lilinette said and Shunsui had to remind himself that she was just a child, and had been feeding on humans since she was twelve. Some callousness was to be expected. Starrk frowned at her.

"I was speaking historically. Modern wars pose special problems. How many times do I have to tell you that we are not invulnerable? True, those light guns the soldiers use don't work on us, but they have far more than that! Let's see… the things that will work on us include incendiaries, rockets, mortars, tanks, heavy caliber weapons, elephant guns – "

"Okay! Okay! I get it! Geez, stop being so pedantic, it's annoying." She complained as Shunsui smiled. Starrk's list, though, made him curious.

"So ghouls can be harmed by heavy weaponry?" He asked and Starrk nodded.

"Yes. In ancient times, we could only be harmed by magic and other supernaturals. Now, things are different. The turning point really came when humans began to use cannons. A shot from a cannonball… a ghoul can survive, but it is a highly unpleasant experience. The weight of the hit makes a difference. That is why most bullets do not harm us." He explained and Shunsui nodded thoughtfully. "And any weapon with a fire component is particularly effective."

"And sometimes we get trapped under fallen buildings." Lilinette said cheerfully, making her larger companion look pained. "An' have our lungs crushed 'till we suffocate –"

"Thank you, Lilinette." Starrk actually sounded amused by the reminder. "You are such a cruel child sometimes." She grinned at him cheekily.

"You love it, you know it." She teased him and he smiled, shaking his head. "So hey, what is all this crap going on anyway? I never read the news, it's all boring or depressing." She said, which struck Shunsui as rather accurate. Starrk frowned before glancing at him.

"Shunsui? As a member of the Guard, you likely have a better understanding of it than I do." He said and Shunsui quirked an eyebrow at him. He had a distinct feeling that Starrk was just tired of talking. But with two protégé's under his wing, the other man was doing quite a bit of explaining. It could be his turn and he did know about this subject.

"Well, the recent chaos is over the tithe edicts." He said slowly. He was not a religious man so it didn't impact him much but he could see why the religious minorities were upset. "You see, tithe is regulated through the state. It's a flat ten percent for the state church." He knew that some countries believed in a separation of church and state, but theirs did not. "Until now, though, religious minorities could opt to have the state collected tithe sent to the church of their choice. However… just recently a surcharge is being imposed to 'support the social programs' of the state church." He couldn't help but sound a bit sarcastic. It was true that the state church did many good things but he'd seen just as much from completely independent charities. "Because of the way the edict is worded, there's some confusion about whether the extra charge will take additional money from the payees or if it will come out of the money going to the minority churches. So everyone is up in arms over it."

"Yeah, I know. Everyone's calling it the start of a new religious persecution and ya know, they've got a point. You don't belong to the church you get treated like dirt around here. People say they get asked about it when they're trying to get a job!" She said and Shunsui winced to himself. He knew some countries had laws against questions like that. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. "I mean, no one can prove people are discriminating but they think they are, ya know?"

"Sometimes the discrimination goes the other way as well, but that's more dangerous." Shunsui said softly, remembering an incident where a minority owned business was put to the torch by an angry mob. Likely they had been trying to recruit employees from within their own religion but it seemed there was a bit of a double standard. "I know this country has many problems. But… it was the will of the people." They were a democratic government. "I'm not certain why it's getting so much worse lately."

"Demographics." Starrk sounded tired and they both glanced at him. "The majority state religion is becoming less and less strong. Too many immigrants, too many converts to other ways. And the politicians also see their base of power slowly slipping away. They are attempting economic encouragement to force people to conform."

"That may be part of it." Shunsui agreed. The ghoul definitely had a point. "I do wonder if some of our neighbors are sticking their fingers in, though." He was sure they would not be above it. "Our neighbors directly to the West, in particular, would like to snip off a piece of territory." Ethnically speaking, it probably should belong to them. That wouldn't make the situation any better if they tried to take it, though. Shunsui rubbed his head. Thinking about politics made his head hurt. He'd always known he had to understand it if he wanted to advance in the Guard, but he'd never liked it.

"Wouldn't the Security Council do something if they tried?" Lilinette asked and Shunsui had to smile. That was a very naïve question.

"The Security Council is an international body. That means they're toothless and paralyzed." He explained as the young ghoul frowned. "Our neighbors have far too much influence there. If they do anything, it will be a symbolic gesture."

"Like a ban against the export of feathered masks." Starrk added and Lilinette laughed. Shunsui smiled, amused. That was a joke but it did capture the situation.

The rest of the day was spent with walking and talking. They moved at a brisk but human pace. The ghouls could move much, much faster with their tentacles to help but that used up their energy and made it necessary to feed more. And despite his few tentative moves in that direction, Shunsui couldn't manifest his tentacles reliably yet. Starrk called them kenserie, but Lilinette actually called them tentacles as well, so he'd decided to stay with that.

None of them were actually hungry so the bodies were set aside as they made camp for the night. Ghouls did not need to eat on a human schedule, thankfully. Organ meats were the most concentrated food and took them the furthest, but an entire body would likely last them a month and a half, perhaps two.

"Needs aging for sure." Lilinette said as she licked the dried blood off her hands. Shunsui couldn't help but wince. It was still so hard, hearing these two refer to human bodies as… food. "I don't understand how some people can eat 'em fresh. It tastes all wrong, don't it?"

"I think so. I remember… when I was still revered, the people of my tribe had special rituals for me." Starrk mused, remembering the past. Shunsui had noticed he did that frequently. But then, he had a lot of past to remember. "They would open the body and salt the organs before packing them with certain herbs. It was a very nice taste."

"Herbs?" Shunsui asked, curious. "You could eat that?" He would have thought that would harm the ghoul. Starrk smiled as he explained.

"They would take rods and leaves, and bruise them, letting the oils infuse the flesh. Then they were removed before the organs were given to me. It imparted a flavor but seemed to cause me no harm." He said and Shunsui blinked at the thought. Ghoul gourmet cuisine? "I've done it myself a few times, when a whole, fresh body has come into my possession. It brings me back."

"Ah." Shunsui decided he didn't really want to know more about that. "Were you going to teach me how to use my tentacles?" He asked. They were the primary weapon and defense of any ghoul. Mastering them was critical. Starrk nodded.

"I am afraid this lesson will not be pleasant." He warned and Shunsui frowned, wondering what that meant.

He found out. Starrk took him aside and began attacking him. Shunsui knew the other ghoul wouldn't kill him, but it was hard to remember as he began using his tentacles in a threatening manner. But Shunsui was an expert in hand to hand combat. He was holding his own… Starrk finally stepped back, shaking his head.

"This is troublesome. You are too well trained." He said as Shunsui tried to catch his breath. "You remember how you extended a kenserie in panic on the train? That is what I am trying to inspire you to do. It is not working."

"It worked great on me. But then I was a little girl and he totally freaked me out." Lilinette put in and Starrk smiled at her. Shunsui frowned, reaching up to scratch his hair. It was starting to grow out. He'd kept it shoulder length for the Guard but since he was no longer a member – would this count as going AWOL or was he technically deceased? – he was thinking of growing it out.

"How are we to do this, then?" He asked and Starrk sighed, gesturing for him to return to the fire.

"The more difficult way. I will teach you to meditate and gradually, gain control of your inner energy. Normally I would do that after the first, instinctive grasp of the kenserie. Hopefully you will not need them anytime soon." Starrk paused before giving Lilinette a severe look. "I expect you to look after him." He said firmly and Shunsui choked a little at the thought. The younger ghoul rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll help out with pinky. Geez Starrk." She complained mildly and Shunsui hoped that wasn't going to be his new nickname. "I'm going to sleep." She said before settling in to do that. Ghouls needed as much sleep as humans, Shunsui had learned.

The next hour or so was spent mastering the art of meditation. Shunsui had never done it before in his life and found he was not really a natural at it. Starrk didn't seem at all discouraged, though, when he called a halt to it.

"You are a warrior. That always poses unique challenges in training. I had precisely the same issue." Starrk said and Shunsui honestly felt a bit relieved. "Although meditation came easily to me. I have always been introspective. Yet, it is nothing to be concerned about. It will come."

"Hmm. Starrk… you mentioned controlling inner energy. Can ghouls use anything but their tentacles?" Shunsui asked. There was a pause and he glanced at the other man. He was frowning and looking into the fire.

"Yes, but it is essentially a kind of magic. Verbal components, and often physical ones, are required. Very few ghouls know this anymore. Lilinette is not yet interested but if you are, I will teach you." He said softly and Shunsui had a feeling he was looking into the past again. "…After you master the kenserie. Nothing is as potent as that." The other ghoul said firmly and he nodded.

"I can imagine." Those tentacles were amazing. They could be soft as silk or hard as steel. They could punch through metal and stone with equal ease. Flesh was nothing before them. And the length on them was unbelievable. They were truly remarkable weapons and tools. "We should probably sleep." He was feeling quite tired. Starrk nodded.

"Yes." Soon they were all deeply asleep, unconcerned about potential enemies. In the wilderness, they would scent any humans and awake long before they could be threatened. And any dangerous animals would scent them and flee.

If humans were the top of the food chain, they were one step beyond.

* * *

"Ooogh, finally, civilization! I need a shower." Lilinette complained and Starrk sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I may have enough money to rent a room. Or perhaps we can find a fast food outlet and use the sink method." He said and she groaned. Shunsui ran a hand over his face, feeling the stubble of his beard. He hadn't worn a beard either, in the Guard. Now it seemed practical. Although…

"Starrk?" That thought brought to mind something insanely peculiar. The other ghoul looked at him and Shunsui eyed his beard. It was as neat as the day they'd left the city. "Have you been shaving?" He was sure the other man hadn't. Starrk looked taken aback as Lilinette blinked and suddenly peered at him.

"HEY! I never noticed but he's RIGHT! How's your beard like that?" She tried to grab him and Starrk side-stepped with a mildly alarmed look. "You should be all stubbly like pinky! How're you so neat?"

"Lilinette! I… might have indulged in some vanity magic a very long time ago. The effects were permanent." He admitted and she looked fascinated. Shunsui felt much the same way. He opened his mouth to ask a question but Lilinette beat him to it.

"So it's like, total manscaping? You never grow a beard? HEY! Can you do that anywhere?! Do you know what women would pay for that? No more leg hair! We could totally open a business!" She said enthusiastically and Shunsui smiled as Starrk face palmed. Just watching these two interact made him feel better about the whole situation.

"No, I… it was an accident, alright? I was drunk and I didn't write down the solution! I've never been able to replicate it." He said, sounding harassed. "I tried it with my – you know, I don't want to discuss this anymore." Shunsui noted, with fascination, that Starrk was blushing.

"Hmm. Naked balls were in fashion at the time?" He murmured and saw the man's shoulders hunch a bit. Lilinette burst into laughter and Shunsui decided they had teased their mentor enough. "Shall we go see how much a room would cost? I would like a bath." He looked over his shirt. Fortunately it was black so the bloodstains didn't show up too badly. The only one who really had problems on that score was Lilinette. She'd been wearing pink and it was badly stained. "Perhaps we should get some clothing first."

So they both hid while Starrk took care of that. It seemed that in addition to being a thief of organs, he was an able shoplifter. Soon he had a new shirt for Lilinette, this one white with a rather amusing picture of a unicorn farting a rainbow. After that, they were able to explore the town.

It really wasn't much. A mid-sized town, it had clearly seen better days. The shopping plaza they had found appeared to be the only one in the place and it was not busy. They found a telephone booth and Starrk went through the yellow pages, looking for something.

"This place has a funeral home. I'm not sure if enough business would be generated to support us long, however." He said quietly after leaving the phone and Shunsui winced at the thought. But anywhere they were considering staying would need to have a food supply. "And we're all quite full at the moment. Depending on how transit is to a larger city, though, I could see about gathering something for the road."

"Nah. We could just steal a car. I bet Shunsui can drive!" Lilinette said happily and Shunsui blinked before giving Starrk a quizzical look. The older ghoul avoided his gaze, looking… embarrassed?

"You can't drive?" He asked and Starrk sighed before shaking his head. Lilinette rolled her eyes.

"Nah, he's too scared." Her amused contempt made her elder wince. "We take the buses and the trains everywhere. But if we can steal a car, hell with that! We can get where we're going an' it'll be cheaper too." She said enthusiastically and Shunsui smiled at the thought. Certainly it would be inconvenient for whoever they stole from, but at this point that was the least of his worries. Eating human flesh made auto theft rather small potatoes. Starrk nodded.

"That might be good. Let's find a place to stay." It wasn't late but they could secure the room, then go exploring the town some more.

That was precisely what they did. They found an extremely cheap, rather uncomfortable hotel on the outskirts of town and quickly made themselves at home in a room. There were two beds and Lilinette immediately claimed one, leaving the other to the men. Starrk tried pointing out that she was quite a bit smaller, but she asserted that as a girl she got her own bed. No one could really argue with that.

After settling in what few possessions they had, they left to explore the town. It was as boring as it appeared. They soon determined that the place survived largely on the train station and an accompanying storage depot. The only real spots of interest in the town were a park and an all-night diner. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't much good to a group of ghouls. They stopped in, though, to get some tea. Ghouls did need to drink, although not as much as humans, and tea was one of the few flavored drinks they could enjoy.

"You have to be careful though. Dried fruit teas can cause a reaction." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui nodded. "Coffee sometimes works but it must be very pure. I'm not fond of it so I don't bother, but if you like it I would suggest getting organic whole beans and grinding them yourself, to minimize the chance of issues."

"I don't like coffee that much." With their vagabond existence, that sounded like a pain. He sipped his tea quietly as they watched the people going by and for a moment, Shunsui felt an intense homesickness. It felt like he should be here with Juushiro, relaxing after a long hard day… ordering something really nice, like those beef dips a couple nearby were enjoying… a hand gently touched his arm and he looked up into compassionate grey eyes.

"If we manage to settle for a time, you might be able to take up a human life again." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui blinked. That was possible? "I sometimes have held down a job, when things were going well and I was not being actively hunted. I have made friends." Then he glanced down at his tea with a small sigh. "Although if you do that, try not to become too attached. We may need to leave at any time." He said softly and Shunsui winced.

"I understand." And he did. Starrk longed for friendship, acceptance, all the things he'd once had and now lacked. He tried to find them but had to abandon them, again and again. "At least you have us, now." He said quietly and saw a genuine smile on the other ghouls face.

"Yes, I do. I wish it hadn't happened to either of you… but I am glad not to be alone." He said softly and Shunsui smiled at him. Their fingers tangled together for a moment and he vaguely noticed someone glaring at them, but didn't care. Lilinette skipped over from where she'd been playing with an arcade game, and if anything the glare from the man in question got worse. Shunsui still didn't care.

Whatever he thought of them it had to be far tamer than the truth of the matter.


	32. A Different Spin

Author's Note: This is the same concept as Employment Opportunities but with an entirely different spin. ^_^ Basically, Starrk was 'bought' for something he actually enjoys…

Starrk smiled as he played on the piano, letting his fingers wander over the keys. He wasn't sure if what he was playing was original or something he remembered, from the depths of his mind. He didn't much care, either. He was making music and that was enough.

_This is sort of degrading._ Lilinette grumbled in the back of his mind. Because of their circumstances, he couldn't manifest her outside himself. He did sometimes allow her to control their body, to compensate. Starrk shook his head as he let the melody wander into a minor key.

"Hush. I'm enjoying myself." He didn't want her to ruin his fun. The truth was, though, she had a point. Starrk was at this party to create an ambience with his quiet piano playing and also demonstrate, by his mere presence, how wealthy and powerful this family was. He was a trophy and he was being shown off to the guests.

In the defeat of the arrancar forces, Coyote Starrk had been taken alive. But he'd been so badly injured he'd been mislabeled as a numero and somehow, had slid through the cracks. It helped that absolutely everyone who knew him seemed to be convinced he was dead. Starrk had innocently asked, one time, and been told that the only survivors of power were Halibel and Grimmjow.

Once he'd learned all he could from the arrancar in his clutches, the mad scientist known as Kurotsuchi had sold the rest of them. It wasn't as far-fetched as it sounded. Soul Society did not practice slavery, true, but hollows were not considered people. They had been kept by nobles and shinigami before. The only reason the practice had been discontinued was because they needed to be fed and feeding them peasants was no longer legal. Arrancar, in contrast, did not need to feed. They were ideal to be kept as guard dogs and pets.

Starrk was a pet. He'd carefully preserved his false identity as a numero, using Lilinette to keep his reiatsu as weak as possible. So when the arrancar had been sold, he'd been picked up by this little family. A very minor but very rich family, they were closely related to the Kuchiki clan but did not actually bear the name. They were more than rich enough to afford one of the new arrancar slaves.

It honestly wasn't that bad. Starrk's place in the household was as a general helper. He did anything that was required, ranging from helping the chefs to going with the girls on shopping trips. What Starrk loved about the family was the children. Shinigami children were rare, but regular, reiatsu-less plus souls could reproduce more readily. They had three girls, sixteen, fourteen and twelve. To Starrk's senses, only the twelve year old had the potential to be shinigami. He'd told her that and she was very interested, to her mother's dismay.

"Wolf! Can you sing as well?" The lady of the house asked him and he looked up from his playing with a smile. She was looking particularly beautiful tonight, her dark blonde hair caught in a red jade comb behind her head and held in place with matching pins. Her gown was also red, embroidered with gold and very tight. Not many could have carried off that look, but she could.

"Of course." He said with a smile, not immune to her charms. And that request meant that he could go from being a soothing background to the centre of attention. Starrk considered what to play for a moment before resting his hands on the keys and beginning a very simple song. The notes of the piano seemed too simple, too basic, but then he added his voice. Then the song went from simple to poignant, filled with meaning.

'_Tis the gift to be simple,  
'Tis the gift to be free,  
'Tis the gift to come down where you want to be,  
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,  
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight._

_When true simplicity is gained,  
To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed.  
To turn, turn will be our delight,  
Till by turning, turning, we come 'round right._

Then he went back to his piano but added more, making the song deeper and more complex. Vaguely, Starrk wondered if anyone in the room would understand the point he was making. Because this was him. His life was so simple and strangely free, despite being chained. His strength was his flexibility, bending and coping with whatever he was given.

_And when we find ourselves in the place just right,  
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight._

_When true simplicity is gained,  
To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed.  
To turn, turn will be our delight,  
Till by turning, turning, we come 'round right._

He turned and bowed to a smattering of applause. Conversation started up again but Starrk didn't listen, just enjoying the background hum that proved he was not alone. Smiling to himself, he went back to creating gentle mood music.

Lilinette was right, it was a touch degrading, being a slave. And yet, he couldn't help but enjoy it.

* * *

"Peel the potatoes and toss 'em in the pot. Peel the potatoes and toss 'em in the pot… I'm bored. You take over." Lilinette said with his mouth and Starrk laughed to himself before taking back their body. Her tolerance for tedium was practically nil.

Starrk's tolerance for tedium, on the other hand, was extremely high. It was almost like sleeping on his feet, in fact. Starrk let his mind wander as he peeled the potatoes and was vaguely disappointed when he reached into the basin to find he was completely out of tubers.

"Mistress? I've finished with the potatoes." He said to the cook, ignoring Lilinette's grumble. He was to refer to everyone as master or mistress, unless they specified otherwise. He was below even the servants, here.

"Put them through the mandolin, thick setting." She instructed him shortly as she worked on some kind of batter. Starrk obeyed, using the tool to slice the potatoes. He was uniquely suited to that task, with his hierro. People had lost skin on the tool before. Vaguely, he wondered what they were making. Well, why not ask?

"What are we making, mistress?" He asked and she responded after a moment.

"The young mistress took a fancy to a fish and chip stand and asked if we could make something like that. So tonight is tempura battered, deep fried fish, tempura vegetables and potato chips." She sounded like it pained her and Starrk couldn't help but smile. The cook was not a young woman and felt that Japanese food was superior to any other. She only lamented that she had been born a woman. Apparently, tradition held it that women's hands were too warm to properly form sushi. Starrk suspected that was balderdash but wasn't about to tell her so. "Hide! How's the oil coming?"

"It's ready!" The other kitchen help, a young boy, called from his spot in the kitchen. There was another chef, an older man, who was working on the vegetables. He was chopping away with a single minded intensity. Starrk kept working on the potatoes.

Eventually, the chef began dropping the fish into the fryer. Starrk sniffed thoughtfully, trying to identify the cooking oil being used. Pork lard? No, beef tallow. Hm.

"That's a lot of beef tallow." He said, looking at the basket. It was a little used piece of equipment. The chef grunted.

"Yes, I know. After we're done we'll filter it and reuse it." She said and Starrk nodded. That made sense. "Carry this out." She pointed to a tray of dips and Starrk took it out. One of the other servants was already setting the table.

Starrk got to try a few small pieces of the food, tasting portions only. He didn't need to eat, so he wasn't fed, but he did get to try things. He thought what they had created was delicious, although he really had no reference point for that. From the enthusiastic response, though, it was good. Starrk just hung out in the kitchen, being around the kitchen staff as they ate their own meal. He might be beneath them but they didn't really treat him like it, aside from giving him orders.

"So what are you working on with the young mistress? Fumiki-sama said something about a large project." Hide asked and Starrk shrugged, resting his elbows on the table.

"A school project on the Espada. I knew them all, by sight at least, so I'm acting as her primary source." Starrk sighed softly before smiling. "The only problem we're having is that apparently, she needs more 'gory details'. The hollows can't appear too kind or human. That's especially troublesome for the Primera Espada… he was the gentlest of the lot." He said, enjoying Lilinette's laughter in the back of his mind. What would these people think if they knew who was sitting at their table?

"One of those monsters, gentle?" The chef said then suddenly seemed to realize she'd said something rather offensive and spoke hastily. "I mean, you're nice enough, but Espada…. And he would have been the most powerful of the lot!"

"Mhm." Starrk was far more charitable than Lilinette and even while his other half grumbled and snarled, he was willing to grant she had a point. Powerful hollows didn't get where they were by being nice. "He was… unusual. His power came to him without effort and quickly became a curse, isolating him." They looked confused so he explained further. "Until Aizen taught him control and used the hogyoku to dampen his reiatsu, he killed any other hollow he came in contact with. Their souls were dragged into him whether he willed it or not. Many of the others followed Aizen for power, but he was the opposite. He would have given up his strength in a heartbeat if it meant he would not be alone." And here and now, Starrk was not alone. Even more than in Los Noches, he was not alone. They had no idea how much it meant to him.

"How strange…" Then Hide brought the desserts they had saved for themselves to the table and they all lost interest in the topic. Starrk was given only a small square of the almond chocolate brittle bar and savored every bit of it. He could feel Lilinette having quiet rhapsodies in the back of his mind. She could feel everything he felt and chocolate was among her favorite things. After that, they went to the study to help the 'young mistress' with her project.

That was the twelve year old, and her name was Maiko. Starrk was to call her that, except when there was company. Then she was 'young mistress' or even 'young mistress Maiko', if her sisters were close and he needed to specify. The lord and lady of the house were both Fumiki-sama, to him. Well, to everyone except their own daughters, really.

Of all the girls, Starrk liked Maiko the best. Oddly, she reminded him of Lilinette. She was a tomboy, constantly running around and climbing trees and avoiding her lessons. Starrk suspected the only reason she was paying attention to this one was because it gave her a good reason to spend a great deal of time with him. She seemed to like him, too.

"So how's this?" She asked, offering him a picture. He took it, examining it with a smile. It was a decent depiction of Ulquiorra. It wouldn't have won any prizes but it would have been sufficient for a wanted poster. Which was really the only place you were likely to find a picture of an Espada.

"Very good. It looks just like him." He said with a smile. "Which other ones do you want to draw?" He asked and Maiko sucked on her pencil, frowning as she thought.

"I don't know… the way you described Halibel's uniform sounds hard. I could do the Primera, he sounds easy but sort of boring." She said and Starrk blinked. Boring? "I mean, there's nothing weird about him. He's just a guy with brown hair in a white suit."

"Err… true, I suppose. But the little girl with him was rather interesting." Starrk said after a moment and smiled as he heard Lilinette laugh in the back of his mind. Then he decided to amuse her further. "In fact, she was really the only interesting thing about him." That made Lilinette laugh even more and Starrk felt proud of himself. Maiko frowned.

"Yeah, but no one's gonna be scared of a little girl. I want something scary. Hmm… hey, didn't you say Barragan was a skeleton when he released? What did he look like?" That made Lilinette grumble but they both had to admit she was not scary. In fact, Starrk didn't think HE was particularly scary either. A gunslinger might be intimidating, but scary? Not… really. Unless you were the one on the end of his guns, perhaps.

They helped Maiko draw Barragan and it actually turned out to be relatively easy. The flowing nature of his robes helped a great deal with that. Eventually, it was one of the servants that interrupted, pulling Starrk away to tend to his evening duties. Maiko wasn't happy but let him go. She knew there was only so long she could keep him.

Starrk's duties in the evening included making sure all the candles were lit, the little scones were secure and all the windows were locked. Then he was allowed to find his own rest. The only thing he truly disliked about being a slave was the lack of rest. He wasn't permitted to laze about on cushions all day. Lilinette said it was good for him, but Starrk found it all a bit exhausting at times.

Settling into his tiny nest of blankets and pillows, Starrk curled up and immediately fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Wolf, wake up." Hide shoved his shoulder and pushed him into wakefulness. Starrk groaned, opening his eyes to see the young boy frowning down at him. "Come on, wake up! I swear, you're worse than my brother." He grumbled and Starrk ran a hand through his hair before yawning and sitting up.

"Sorry." Hide's brother was a teenager and apparently, their parents had to almost drag him out of bed with ropes. Starrk could most definitely sympathize. "Breakfast?"

"Already over. You're needed to help clean the dishes." The boy said and Starrk blinked. He'd been allowed to sleep in a bit late then. Satisfied that he was awake, Hide left the room and Starrk pulled off his sleeping shift, putting on one of his uniforms.

His clothing was just like that of all the servants. A very simple livery of dark brown, cut well and decorated with dark red Japanese maple leaves, it was elegant yet easy to clean. Starrk thought it looked particularly good on him, setting off his dark, handsome features nicely. Lilinette thought he was being an idiot but did think he looked much better in something other than white. Really, that color had done him no favors.

Smiling a bit at the thought, Starrk soon found himself elbow deep in suds. The heat and chemicals didn't bother him so this was usually his duty. The main exception was when the girls needed him for something, usually after supper. Then Hide and the chefs took care of the dishes.

Today, though, there was something rather interesting on his schedule. Starrk wished someone had thought to warn him, but knowing the brains involved it might have been decided five minutes before he was informed.

"Come on Wolf! We're going to go shopping!" Saya said cheerfully. Nana was behind her, looking excited and Starrk held back a groan. This was, without a doubt, his least favorite chore. But…

"Yes, young mistress." He let his resignation enter his voice and the two of them laughed, grabbing his arms and pulling him out of the house with them. That was cute, at least. Even if he wished he had his guns so he could shoot himself in the head. Perhaps Lilinette would…?

_Nah, that's all yours. Have fun, I'm taking a nap._ Starrk mentally gave her the finger before turning his attention back outwards. It seemed like Lilinette was sleeping more than he was, these days. But then, her temper was just too short. If he let her control them too often, she was likely to snap and say something unfortunate.

Very soon, Starrk was being inducted into the level of boredom known as 'man going clothes shopping with two young girls.' He leaned against a pole or sat in chairs, asleep with his eyes open. And then, when they were finally done, he added more bags to the ones he was carrying as they went to the next shop. Before too long he was so loaded he was having trouble seeing where he was going.

He'd never imagined he would be glad for that but when he suddenly detected an extremely familiar reiatsu, Starrk silently blessed all of those bags. They almost completely obscured his face. Quickly kicking Lilinette awake he communicated the dire situation and she immediately started suppressing his reiatsu. Along with the collar, that should be enough to keep him under the radar. Starrk hoped so, anyway.

The girls were utterly oblivious and went right past the shinigami, laughing and chatting. Starrk followed close behind, moving as normally as possible. He saw the man in pink pause for a moment and glance around with a puzzled air, before shaking his head and moving on. As they got farther and farther away from each other, Starrk began to breathe easier.

That had been a close one but he hadn't been detected. All was well for now.

* * *

"Wolf? I just noticed. What happened to your hand?" Maiko asked and Starrk glanced down at it. The spot where his Espada marking had been was ridged and scarred. He absently rubbed it with his other hand, remembering.

"Just a battle injury." He lied. When he'd first been mislabeled, the medics had completely missed his Espada tattoo. In a moment of inattention, he'd seized the opportunity to tear it off. Painful but effective. No one had thought anything of a minor, unattended wound. "Maiko, if you don't mind me asking, why are we here?" She had commandeered him after supper and taken him to this park. It was autumn and the park was very pretty, full of falling leaves. Very beautiful but they didn't really seem to be doing anything and the air was rather chilly. She shifted uncomfortably, playing with her hair with one finger, twirling the dark brown strands.

"I want you to start teaching me swordplay." She said abruptly and Starrk blinked. "I'm going to be a shinigami. I want it so bad!" She said and Starrk frowned, reaching up to rub his chin.

"Hn." Maiko did have the reiatsu to become a shinigami and from what Starrk could tell, her potential was only increasing. He wondered a bit if that was due to him. His power had finished completely rebuilding only a few months ago and now it was oozing past his collar, despite all he could do to suppress it. Fortunately it was just a miasma in the air, but that might be enough to ignite her spiritual pressure. "Your parents don't want that." They both desperately didn't want their little girl to go to the Academy and possibly die… well, probably die fighting hollows. Maiko just set her face stubbornly.

"If I have the reiatsu for it and take the exams, they can't say no." She said and Starrk knew she was right. The shinigami would not permit such interference. They wanted recruits, after all. "And I want you to help me."

"…You're going to get me into trouble." He said with a sigh. Technically he hadn't been forbidden to teach her swordplay but everyone knew he wasn't an idiot. The lord and lady already weren't too happy that he'd put the idea of being a shinigami into Maiko's head.

_You can always just break the collar and leave if they get too annoying._ Lilinette said and Starrk had to admit she had a point. He was not really being held by anything but his own will, at this point.

"Please Wolf?" She looked at him with pleading brown eyes and Starrk felt himself starting to cave. He'd always had a weakness for children. "Please?"

"Alright." He surrendered to the inevitable. "We'll need some practice blades." He had no idea how they would acquire those. Maiko grinned.

"Leave that to me!" She said happily and he took that to mean that she already had a plan. Well, that was fine. "Now though… come on, let's go down to the river!"

"Hm? Sure." That would be a nice little stroll before bedtime. Putting his hands in his pockets, Starrk followed as Maiko skipped in front of him. Smiling, he watched her obvious happiness.

Somehow, getting into trouble didn't seem to matter much anymore.

* * *

"Ooof! I can never beat you." Maiko complained, lowering her wooden sword and shaking out her arms. Starrk chuckled, a low, amused sound.

"I would be horrified at myself if you did." He said and she scowled at him. At times like this she really did remind him of Lilinette. Hm… "You know, if you want a more even fight, I could let you fight someone else." He hadn't enlightened anyone in the family of his dual soul condition but of all of them, he trusted Maiko the most. Also, he didn't think anyone would connect him to the Primera at this point. They were too familiar with kind, gentle Wolf to consider that he might be more dangerous than he appeared.

"Huh? What do you mean?" She questioned and he explained as Lilinette listened avidly. He could feel her practically vibrating in the back of his mind, desperate to come out and play.

"I have a second soul within me. Her name is Lily and she's much younger… I can let her control my body, for a time. You might be able to defeat her and she would like to practice. She can be rather rude." He warned and Maiko blinked before smiling.

"You've got a girl in there? Sure, I'd like to meet her!" She said and Starrk smiled before handing control to Lilinette. He felt as Lilinette made them grin and knew that to Maiko, it would be like seeing an entirely new person emerging.

"Hi! Yeah, I'm Lily." It was still his voice, though, which made it rather amusing to him. "Hmm… aw, this sword ain't what I'm used to." She lifted the wooden sword, examining it. "Oh well. I'll suck but that's okay. You ready?"

"Yeah!" Maiko was clearly happy about the thought of her opponent 'sucking'. But then, he had been teaching her for several weeks. Perhaps it was time for her to taste a bit of victory.

And it took a while, but she did. Lilinette wasn't bad but she was overconfident and her judgment was appalling. However, it was Starrk who howled in pain as a wooden sword hit him in the eye.

"LILY!" He almost said her real name in his shock and pain. "Brat!" He snarled as he held a hand over his eye from where he was sitting on the ground. She was LAUGHING at him! That was going a bit far. Maiko was horrified by what she'd just done and he grimaced as she knelt beside him and put an arm around him.

"Oh Wolf, I'm sorry!" She apologized and he shook his head, lowering his hand and blinking. The wooden sword actually couldn't do him any real harm, with his hierro in the way. It did sting like fire, though.

"It's not your fault. Lily forced me back into control to take the pain for her." He growled, irritated at his other half. She was trying to feel apologetic now but not doing it well. The whole thing was just too funny to her. "Hmph… perhaps we should go inside." They didn't want to be caught at this. Maiko nodded, still worried for him. She helped him to his feet and he smiled at her reassuringly. "You must have schoolwork to do." He was a bit afraid that she was neglecting her other duties in favor of their sparring. She made a face.

"Oh man… I guess…" She mumbled and Starrk patted her on the shoulder. He knew it was hard for her but she needed to concentrate on her lessons more.

Really, she did remind him a lot of Lilinette.

* * *

"Maiko?" Starrk stepped into her bedroom, closing the door behind him. She looked up from her bed with a scowl. "Your mother sent me to check your work." That was the cause of her hostility, of course. The glare intensified for a moment before she looked away, still scowling.

"It's right over there." She gestured to the little desk and Starrk picked up the report with a sense of foreboding and started to read. He was highly educated, for an arrancar. Some long forgotten past had given him that.

"I am writing a report. This is the second sentence of the first paragraph. This is the third sentence of the first paragraph. A bug just landed on me. I brushed it away. I am now writing the sixth sentence… um…" Starrk looked at the paper in his hand helplessly as Lilinette sniggered. "…Are you TRYING to be punished?" Really, this was just asking for it. Maiko looked away with a humphing sound. "What was the topic for this?" He asked. What had given rise to this?

"What's going on in our lives." She growled and Starrk sighed as he set the sheet down. Then he paused to regard her.

He'd been with the family three years at this point. Maiko was fifteen years old and just starting to bloom. And with her physical development came a sullen attitude. If her parents had been willing to sign the forms she could have started at the Academy early, but they had refused completely.

Starrk was sure they would have to send her next year, though. He could feel the building reiatsu surrounding her, sense the intensity of it. She was strong and becoming stronger. Not all the power in the air was due to him, anymore. If his reiatsu had sparked hers, she no longer needed him… this was going to happen no matter what. If her parents refused to send her, the shinigami would be coming for Maiko.

Maiko knew it too and she was angry at the delay. In fact, she was angry in general at how resistant her parents were. So now she was venting her feelings on this assignment, which had touched the raw part of her soul.

"Maiko, this isn't going to help." Starrk said gently as he sat down on the bed beside her. Brown eyes flickered towards him before moving away. "I know you're upset, but you will go to the Academy next year. Can't you make this last year with your family a happy time?" It seemed like cutting off her nose to spite her face, to him.

"…I did write something better." She said in a very quiet tone of voice. Starrk tilted his head to one side. She was still looking away from him and blushing? "But it's a fantasy." She admitted and he blinked before shrugging.

"It's not like your teachers would know. Can I see it?" He asked and she hesitated before reaching under the bed and pulling out some more papers. There was quite a few more of them than the last set… but then, for that she'd been doing the bare minimum. Starrk took the papers and began to read.

It didn't take him long to understand that what he was reading was a romance. It made him smile a little… Maiko was clearly growing up and had her eye on someone. A boy from her class, perhaps? At first it started innocent and sweet but gradually went places that were anything but. Then his breath caught as he read one particular line. The description of the boy in question had been tall, dark, handsome but...

…_his mask fragment was strangely warm. Like it was part of him, which it was, really. She ran her tongue over it, feeling the pulse of warmth. It reminded her of a heartbeat…_

_Uh oh. Kids got it bad._ Was Lilinette's comment and Starrk swallowed before glancing at Maiko. She was still looking away, her cheeks very pink.

"Well." He heard the husky note to his voice and cursed himself before clearing his throat. "I'm… flattered. But I think your sensei would immediately give this to your father. And then I would likely be sold." He said quietly and she looked up, a sudden flash of panic in her face. He smiled at her reassuringly before giving the papers back. "I'm very flattered. But you do know that I'm far too old for you?" She bit her lip before looking away again.

"I know you must be really old. But what does it matter? Kyoraku taichou sleeps with younger girls." She said after a moment and Starrk blinked as his mind flashed back to the man in pink. He could see that, actually. He definitely seemed the type to be popular with the ladies. "I – I like you, Wolf." She said before moving. He could have evaded her but he honestly wasn't sure he should… or that he wanted to. When had he last been touched in an intimate manner?

Her lips against his were soft and uncertain. Starrk hesitated a moment before allowing himself to respond, gently touching her shoulder as he showed her how to kiss. Nothing too intimate, no tongue, just warm lips and tender touches. When he pulled back she was flushed and breathing faster. Starrk swallowed hard, his own libido hitting him as he saw the arousal on her face. But…

"Maiko, you are too young. And I'm an arrancar." He said, gently but firmly. This simply would not do. She was only fifteen and just because she had desires did not mean he should satisfy them. "No one would ever accept anything between us." She started to look stubborn but then he continued. "Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy." A romance, yes, but foremost a tragedy. That took some of the spark out of her eyes and she looked down.

"I know. If we did and… mom and dad found out, you'd be…" She said in a low tone and Starrk nodded. He would actually just escape, but she couldn't know that. She thought he would be sold and sent far, far away from her. "…Someday you might be free." She suddenly said and he blinked. It was the first he'd heard of that. "The shinigami are trying to pass laws but the noble houses are fighting it. But it might happen. Maybe then?"

"Perhaps." He said, humoring her. Although who knew? She would be much older then. "For now, though, can we write something better for your class?" He suggested and she scowled at him, but not as if she meant it. "It doesn't have to be good. Just… give the impression that you're trying." The horrible thing she currently had wasn't even trying, and this romantic piece, while wonderfully written, would not do. Maiko just looked at him for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"Alright. I'll try." She surrendered before going to the desk. "Maybe I could write about us sparring…?" She said and Starrk nodded. They didn't want her parents to know about that either, but the teacher would not immediately rat them out. After all, for all she knew they had permission for that. The other? Definitely not.

"Include Lily." He suggested and that made her smile happily. Then she bent over the paper and began to write as he watched. Inwardly, he was glad she would be leaving for the Academy in a year.

She was still blossoming right now. In a few years, Maiko might be all too tempting.

* * *

Two years later.

Ise Nanao smiled as she looked over the Academy class.

She was there to give a lecture and then answer questions about zanpakuto. And she did plenty of that. But then one student, a young girl with brown hair and brown eyes, suddenly asked her something completely unrelated.

"Ise fukutaichou? I've heard there are some arrancar in the ranks of the Gotei 13?" She asked and Nanao blinked in surprise. Then she nodded.

"Yes, there are. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez is serving under Kenpachi taichou." She said and prepared to take another question. But the student did not let her, quickly asking another question.

"If another powerful arrancar were discovered, say a surviving Espada no one knew about, what would happen?" She asked and Nanao frowned at the girl. Why was she asking that question? But the student just looked at her with earnest curiosity. Finally she answered as best she could.

"If they were in Hueco Mundo, nothing. We have a treaty with the Queen of Hueco Mundo." That was Tia Halibel. "If they were here, for some reason, they would have the choice of joining the Gotei 13 or being returned to Hueco Mundo." They couldn't let an arrancar of that strength simply run around. "However, all Espada were accounted for. So this does not matter. Does anyone have any questions about zanpakuto?" She said, redirecting the topic to the one at hand. Hands went up again and she picked another, missing the thoughtful look on that student's face.

* * *

Starrk was not expecting the end to his masquerade to come in such an odd manner.

Maiko had been at the Academy for over a year and was settling in well. He hadn't been able to teach her anything with kido or shunpo, but his lessons in basic sword skills were serving her well. She had a leg up on some of the other cadets and was showing a great deal of promise with kido. It made him feel rather proud. And she was turning into a beautiful young woman, which was nice to see.

When she asked him to take a walk with her after supper, though, Starrk was tempted to refuse. He had a feeling he knew where this was going and really didn't want to go there. The attraction she felt to him hadn't dimmed, from the look in her eyes. And he would have to admit that he was finding her far more tempting at seventeen than fifteen. She was getting past the gawky stage of puberty and her bust had gone from small but promising to lovely little handfuls. Starrk could imagine cupping them in his hands, which worried him. He shouldn't be thinking like this about one of the girls. It was all so troublesome…

_Oi. Just screw her and get it out of your system._ Lilinette's commentary was not helpful. It was even less helpful when Maiko's oblivious father, his ultimate master, told them to have a nice walk. Boxed in, Starrk left with the young girl. That was how he needed to think of her. Too young. She would always be too young…

"Wolf, would you like to join the Gotei 13?" Maiko asked him and Starrk just stared at her for a moment. She seemed entirely serious.

"Maiko, I am a slave. The shinigami cannot free me, not yet." He said gently and she turned to him, giving him a searching look. Then she reached up and gripped the collar around his neck. It was a smooth, slim circlet of black metal. Meant for long term containment… but far too weak to truly hold back his power.

"This is really holding you back?" She asked quietly and Starrk stared into her eyes, taken aback. She seemed entirely serious. "You know, I'm not dumb Wolf. You said the Primera had a tattoo on his hand." She let go of the collar to take his hand. Starrk let her, feeling numb as she ran a finger over his scarred skin. "You said he was a tall man with dark hair, with a girl fraccion named Lilinette. And his name was Coyote Starrk. You know, you're pretty obvious when you think about it… Wolf." She said and he hesitated.

"If I were that powerful, why would I still be here?" He asked, playing for time. She shrugged, letting go of his hand.

"I don't know. You're really weird?" She asked and he blinked before smiling. That was certainly true. "But I asked Ise fukutaichou what would happen if an Espada were found. She said they would have to join the Gotei 13 or go back to Hueco Mundo. So would you want to? We could be together a lot more, after I graduate." Ah, that was her motivation here. "And it would be better for you." She said softly and Starrk felt Lilinette's eagerness. He bit his lip, thinking about it. It would be taking a chance but…

Lilinette was the one who decided him. He knew she desperately wanted her own body again, and he couldn't manifest her as Wolf. Taking control of their joint body wasn't much of a solution. It helped, but it just wasn't enough. If they would really accept him he could manifest her properly again.

So he found himself slouching after Maiko as she walked into the Eighth Division like they belonged there. As they walked he idly fingered the collar, wondering when to break it. Well, there would be a moment. Something dramatic but not _too_ dramatic. He wanted to have fun but not be threatening. That could go badly.

"Ise fukutaichou?" To their good fortune, she was in and working on the paperwork. She looked up from her desk with a frown that deepened as she saw the cadet uniform. "I've brought an arrancar to see you. He was an Espada." Maiko announced and Starrk waved in a desultory fashion. Nanao blinked, just staring at him for a moment. "He would like to join the Gotei 13."

"Well, I like it better than going back to Hueco Mundo. And washing dishes is getting a bit old." Starrk said mildly. Actually, he could wash dishes forever. But it was getting cruel for Lilinette. She needed more in her life. Nanao frowned before shaking her head.

"You do not have the spiritual pressure to – " She started and Starrk reached up under his collar and yanked his finger outwards. The black stone shattered instantly and his reiatsu flowed about him, unrestrained. He wasn't trying to flaunt it, precisely, but he wasn't going out of his way to hide it either. "… oh…" Nanao stared at him in shock as the door suddenly slammed open.

"Nanao-chan! What – you!" Kyoraku Shunsui was beyond shocked to see someone he'd been absolutely certain was dead. Starrk waved again and Maiko suddenly stepped in front of him, to his surprise. But Shunsui's hands had dropped to the hilts of his weapons.

"He's going to join the Gotei 13. Ise fukutaichou said that if an Espada was discovered, they could do that." She said stubbornly and Starrk chuckled softly. Shunsui stared at the girl before gazing at him. His expression was full of shock and almost… wonder?

"Yes, I suppose he could. But forgive me, Espada-san… where have you been?" He asked and Starrk just shrugged. It seemed like far too much effort to explain.

"Here and there. Just hanging around." He said vaguely and Maiko butted in. She was more than willing to explain it.

"He's been my families' arrancar. We bought him right after the Winter War…" Then she was singing his praises, which was a bit embarrassing. Starrk manifested Lilinette as she talked and his other half stretched, just enjoying the sensation of having a body again. Shunsui was listening to Maiko, glancing at Starrk occasionally. He caught the man looking at his hand and held it up for him, showing him the scar. Shunsui's eyes widened at the sight of that torn skin.

"Well, we never anticipated anything like this." He said as the story wound down. "And I'm sure your family will be a bit unhappy to lose such a treasure – " Starrk sighed as Lilinette snorted. Shunsui shot them both a smile. "But you're right that we can't let an Espada roam free. Ready to sign up, Espada-san?"

"Yes, I suppose so." He wistfully hoped he would be able to sleep more. He honestly suspected he wouldn't. Lilinette didn't care, though, and soon he was being dragged off by two enthusiastic girls to get his uniform.

How had his life ended up this way? Starrk honestly wasn't sure. But it definitely was interesting.


	33. Who Is Kami? - Part 2

"This is the best!"

"Really is." Starrk said as he half-closed his eyes, just enjoying the sun. Lilinette waded into the water with a happy squeal.

They were in their own good place. The old one was, alas, not so good anymore… the last time they had tried to go there a bunch of strange shinigami with great powers had shown up to try and capture them. They were no kind of threat to the new 'gods', of course, but Starrk and Lilinette weren't interested in fighting and trying to sleep in their hammocks while holding the strangers off… well, it didn't work. So they'd accepted that they weren't welcome and regretfully departed, ignoring the shouting behind them.

That had left them with a dilemma. Where could they go? Shinigami might find them anywhere in the Living World or Soul Society. Hueco Mundo was out. Starrk and Lilinette didn't want to see that place ever again. So they decided to make their own good place.

It had been tricky, figuring out how to do it. But they'd found the good place, which hadn't been easy either. So eventually they managed to create a pocket dimension of their own. Getting the same 'feel' as the good place hadn't been easy but they'd managed that, too. Everything was more vibrant and real than Soul Society or the Living World. And the reishi in the air was extraordinarily high, yet not the least bit uncomfortable. No, this was a wonderful place, just like the good place.

That, though, was where the similarities ended. The good place had held a huge, beautiful Japanese style palace. It had been surrounded by gardens, then orchards and fields. It had all been very domesticated. For their own good place, Starrk and Lilinette had gone for something completely different. They had created a tropical paradise, full of white sands, blue sea and riotous jungle. The jungle was full of flowering plants, fruits and wildlife.

Of course, Starrk and Lilinette were quite ignorant of what kind of life a tropical island should hold. They'd gotten around that by making a faithful replication of a real island. They'd even included the buildings, which included a very nice house. They used it when the place needed rain. The plants and animals all had physical needs, just like real ones.

The only thing that was missing was people. Starrk had considered replicating them, too, before deciding against it. The people on the island wouldn't know them and it would all get very strange, very fast. Then he'd considered replicating a few people who DID know him, like those two taichou. Then he'd thought, how would they feel about that, knowing they were duplicates created to help wile away the time of an idle god? They might not mind too much – this was a lovely place – but they might mind quite a lot. Starrk was very non-confrontational. The thought of dealing with his irate creations was cringe worthy.

Lilinette didn't seem to care much either way. She loved playing games in the sand, building castles and other crazy things. Starrk vividly remembered the time he'd woken up after a nap to find that she'd given him sand breasts, with seashells for nipples. The time she'd built a trap for him out of ropes had been interesting too…

Putting aside that mildly painful memory, Starrk thought about what to do. He was rather lonely. Perhaps he could go visit the one person who hadn't run away or tried to attack them… the bartender who had served them. If he was going to do that, though, he would have to bring some money. Starrk hadn't really figured out how money worked but surely he could find something the man would value?

Or maybe he could bring someone here? That thought had some appeal although whoever he picked might be angry. Although, if they were too difficult he could just send them back. Who though? Maybe those taichou? They had seemed nice, from what he could recall.

"…Lilinette!" Starrk called. He needed his other half for this. She was more sensible than he was, in a lot of ways, and it was always nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. If she thought this was a good idea, he would go for it.

He really was feeling quite lonely.

* * *

Shunsui sighed, looking at his paperwork with an air of great disillusionment.

If he'd known that becoming a taichou involved this much paperwork, maybe he wouldn't have done it. Perhaps he would have just stayed in the ranks instead. Comfortably oblivious to all the joys of command. Although, he knew that wasn't true. Shunsui loved being a taichou in most ways and he certainly couldn't give up his responsibilities. It was just… paperwork?

"Why is there always more of it? It wasn't like this when I first became a taichou." He murmured, resting his chin in his hands as he tapped his pen against the paper, leaving little dots of ink behind. Nanao hated it but he called them his 'thinking dots'. "We've become a bureaucracy." He made the word a curse. Sighing, he reached for the next paper in the pile.

And everything changed. Bright light hit him so suddenly that he had to shield his eyes. As his eyes adjusted he lowered his hand and stared.

He was sitting on a beach. The sand beneath him was almost painfully white, shading a bit where the sea lapped at it in gentle waves. The ocean was brilliantly blue, and the sky was completely clear except for a few fluffy clouds. Pushing himself to his feet he looked around wide-eyed. Nearby there was a bamboo and reed cabana, clearly meant to keep the sun off for a bit. The reishi in the air was high but not painful and Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment as he felt an amazing sense of well-being fill his body. He hadn't felt this good since…

"Shunsui?" Opening his eyes he turned to see Juushiro. His best friend was holding his sword hilt and looking very confused. "What just happened?" He asked and Shunsui scratched his head.

"I'm not sure." Although he was sure of one thing. "This place feels like the Celestial realm." Although it clearly wasn't. Glancing away from the water, he saw the heavy jungle behind them. There was a neat little path leading off the beach, tiled in grey stone. Other than that, though, it was wild and untamed. "Curious…" Then he noticed something that made him arch his eyebrows. Juushiro followed his gaze and couldn't help but smile.

What they were noticing was two heads, peeking out at them from behind the cabana, one above the other. Starrk was in some danger of receiving a nasty poke from Lilinette's horn, but didn't seem to care. Starrk seemed almost… afraid? Certainly very worried. Lilinette just looked interested.

"Hello there!" Shunsui waved before glancing around again. "Nice place you have here. But what precisely are we doing here, Starrk-san?" His voice was very friendly and easily encouraged the two arrancar to stop hiding behind the cabana. As they stepped out, the two taichou looked them over curiously.

They had both abandoned their fur wraps, probably because they were completely impractical for a tropical beach. Starrk was wearing bright red swimming trunks and Lilinette was wearing a two piece, little girl bathing suit. It was white but with splashes of pink, yellow and blue.

"We, well, hoped you might be willing to stay a while?" Starrk said with an almost wistful air and Juushiro blinked at the thought. Was the arrancar lonely? Shunsui smiled and shook his head regretfully.

"I'm afraid we have duties we really cannot take time away from." He said and Lilinette laughed as Starrk smiled shyly.

"You don't have to worry about THAT! We control time here." She informed them and they both stared at her blankly. "If we want, we can put you back at the exact time and place we found you. No time would pass at all. So why not have a vacation? Stay as long as you like!"

"What? How?" Juushiro breathed although… it wasn't really as preposterous as it sounded. They must have created this place. Starrk spoke up diffidently.

"Time is just another coordinate. Hollows have a great natural navigation ability, they need to in order to create garganta and move between the worlds. They just don't have the power to fix the time coordinate but we do." He said and Juushiro and Shunsui exchanged a glance. These two were rather terrifying. Although…

"Well, in that case we should stay!" Shunsui said cheerfully and the two arrancar immediately looked happy. "But you will send us back when we want?" He asked and Starrk nodded as Lilinette giggled.

"Oh yeah! Starrk is like, super wussy when people yell at him. You know, we thought about making duplicates of you guys. We're really great at copying things. But Starrk went all wimpy about it when he thought about what he'd do if they yelled at him." She said cheerfully and Shunsui blinked as Juushiro winced a little at the thought. Copies of them? Starrk looked a bit harassed.

"Well, what WOULD I do? I couldn't send them to Soul Society, they would already be there! And I couldn't just destroy them, it would be wrong!" He said and Lilinette sneered at him.

"Oh yeah? You've destroyed things you've made before, Starrk! Like that vine that was trying to take over the island. Remember?" She said and her larger companion gave her a very dubious look.

"Lilinette, are you equating an invasive vine with a shinigami? Because I think that's absurd." He said firmly as they watched, fascinated. Lilinette came back immediately.

"Oi! Just because it can't talk it's not worth anything? You're being speciest Starrk! Speciest!" She berated him and he began to look rather worried, as if he was afraid he'd actually done something wrong.

"But I couldn't leave it. It was choking out all the other plants…" He protested and Lilinette glared at him. "Lilinette?" He said weakly and she suddenly smiled and laughed before shoving him in the chest.

"You're such a total wuss Starrk! I was just kidding you. Getting rid of a vine and a person are totally different! Geez. Isn't he a wuss?" She said to Juushiro and Shunsui. Shunsui smiled at them both as Starrk blushed.

"A bit perhaps. But please, don't make copies of us. The copies might not mind but we would." He said seriously. How would he feel if he was a copy, existing in this place? He… might enjoy it, actually. This place was remarkable. Still, Shunsui didn't want a copy of himself wandering around. Juushiro nodded firmly.

"That would be awkward." He said and the arrancar nodded earnestly. Shunsui found that Starrk was reminding him of a young recruit, in some ways. Eager to please and terrified that he would somehow get it wrong. "Well, we're going to need bathing suits…"

It didn't take long for the two arrancar to either fetch or create everything they needed. Shunsui and Juushiro both stretched out in the sand, enjoying tropical drinks they were sipping from coconuts. Starrk had materialized an entire bar, made out of bamboo and thatched with reeds. A copy of something from a tropical resort, it was fully stocked with liquor. Starrk seemed to avoiding that, though, he noticed.

"The hangover was bad?" He asked and the arrancar blushed before mumbling an affirmative. "You just have to take it slower. In fact, why don't you make yourself one of these?" He lifted the coconut. "It's not strong." Really, it was mostly coconut water and sugary fizz. Starrk hesitated before nodding.

"Alright…" He said before materializing one and taking a sip from the coconut. His eyes widened at the flavor. "Sweet!" Then he tried it again. "S'good." He mumbled and Shunsui laughed, glancing towards the water. Lilinette was busy playing in the surf and from the smile on Juushiro's face, he thought his friend would be joining the child soon.

"Starrk, can you tell us a bit about yourself?" He asked and Starrk frowned for a moment before shrugging.

"There's not a lot to tell… became hollow, ate other hollows, stared at a lot of sand." He said lightly and Shunsui was absolutely sure he was lying. Well, not lying precisely but leaving something out.

"But you were powerful enough to take away the hogyoku from Aizen. How did that happen?" Juushiro asked and Starrk looked down. They could both see the quiet pain in his grey eyes, the hurt there as he ran a hand through white sand, watching the grains fall between his fingers.

"I suppose it started with my life as a human." He said after a moment and they exchanged a glance, surprised. He could remember that? Although they had no idea how common that was. "I never fit in. I frightened my own family… you see, I always knew when things would happen. If strangers were coming to the village, I knew about it at least a day in advance. I could predict how many they would be and if they would be a problem or not. If someone became ill, I could predict if they would live or die and even how long they would be sick. It was a great gift and a terrible curse." Starrk said sadly and Shunsui swallowed as he tried to imagine how spiritually powerful the young man must have been. And…

"How old were you, when this started?" Juushiro asked softly and Starrk glanced up with a small, troubled smile.

"Six." He said and they both winced. "I did have one stroke of luck. When I was eight years old, my father was planting the wheat and for the first time, I saw farther… I told him no, the frost would come too soon and he would lose his crop. He needed to plant rye instead, which would sell for less but tolerate the cold better." Starrk smiled then, and it was almost happy. "He was shocked but decided to believe me. It's not the sort of thing a child would make up, after all. And I was right. Many of his neighbors had a very bad year but we did not." He said and Shunsui listened, fascinated. "After that he took my advice and shared it with the rest of the village. Many people were still afraid of me, but I had a use… if not for that, I might have been put to death as a witch. But with my insights, we prospered."

"The one person whose future I could not foresee, however, was my own." Starrk said softly as he gazed away, his expression slightly pained. "I foresaw that strangers would be coming to the village and they would be coming for me, to take me away. But I didn't know why. Father wanted to hide me at first but I told him he could not… if they did not find me, I said, they would kill everyone and put the village to the torch. My family… I frightened them and I was isolated from them, but they still loved me. I remember, my mother held me and wept. I was only fifteen." He fell silent for a moment before sighing and picking up the story again. "When they arrived we found they were from the King. They had heard rumors of the 'seer child' and I was to be brought before him. If I'd had any delusions that it was a good thing, the dread I felt from the other villagers would have cured it. It was like they were watching me go to my death." He said and Shunsui felt the need to say something.

"Surely it wasn't that bad? Your gift would have been priceless to him." He said and Starrk gave him a small, sad smile.

"Perhaps if he'd been an intelligent man. But no, he was a petulant moron." Starrk said lightly and Shunsui blinked as Juushiro frowned. "I didn't know that at the time, of course. I was brought in front of his glittering court and commanded to tell him his future. I think he expected sweet lies. But I was just a child and a true seer, so I made the mistake of telling him the truth. He didn't like knowing that if he did nothing, he would be dead of poison before the year was out." Starrk said and Shunsui winced. He knew a great deal of noble houses. He could guess what happened next. "I won't go into the rest of it. If only I had been able to see my own future… ah. Well, then I was a ghost." He said lightly and Shunsui nodded sadly. He was glad to skip the gory details. "The King really was an idiot. I got to see even more of it after I was dead… I was amused to find out the Queen was having affairs with half the palace and he hadn't even noticed." Starrk said with a smile and Shunsui chuckled softly. "That was when I met Lilinette. She was a ghost there too… she had actually been a noble child before she died of a fever. We had so much fun together… we played and played, and she taught me so many things. If you counted the time she had been dead, she was actually older than me. We – OW!" They both stared as Starrk was suddenly tackled by a flying Lilinette, landing on his back in the sand.

"OI! Why are you talking about that?! That was bad times! This is good times! Stop talking and start playing!" She pounded a fist against his chest, making him 'ack' a bit. "Come on Starrk! We're supposed to be having fun here!" She grabbed his hair then and began dragging him away.

"Ack! Lilinette! My hair! Eeep!" She was shorter, which made the arrancar hunch over as he was yanked towards the water. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Ow, stop!" She let go of him and Juushiro got up to follow, smiling. Shunsui debated for a moment before putting down his coconut and going to join them. Soon they were playing a spirited game of water polo and he found, to his slight surprise, that he was really having quite a lot of fun.

These two arrancar really were very amusing to be around.

* * *

"My kami. This is amazing." Shunsui looked around, truly awed by the surroundings. Juushiro looked equally stunned.

As night began to fall, Starrk had diffidently asked if they preferred to sleep under the stars or in a bed. That was how they'd found out that the island had a house. Or rather, a mansion, and not just one. There were three homes on the island and they were all absolutely exquisite.

"Yeah, we think this is some kind of private island. Like, an extended family owns the whole thing. We copied everything so it's really neat." Lilinette said as she toed a rug with one bare foot. "Ain't the floor pretty?" It was of multi-colored marble, fitted together in a geometric pattern.

"Yes indeed." Shunsui tilted his hat back a bit, glancing around. The whole place continued the theme of the floor. It was decorated in very good taste, with only the finest of materials used. It reminded him slightly of some of his clan's holdings in the Living World. They had things this luxurious… but nothing more luxurious. He honestly didn't think it was possible to get much better than this. "Someone is very rich." He could imagine how much such a building would cost. And three of them? Amazing.

"It's beautiful, but, mm… where are the bedrooms?" Juushiro asked before stifling a yawn and Shunsui smiled. They had spent a very active day playing with the two arrancar. Lilinette ran up the stairs, still full of obscene amounts of energy. Starrk seemed as tired as they were.

"Right up here! C'mon!" They followed her up the fine spiral staircase, to the second floor. It turned out there were many, many rooms to choose from. They were all wonderful so Shunsui picked one at random, settling in easily. The bed was incredibly comfortable and he quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The next day he wondered if it had all been a crazy dream.

But the wind was coming through the room from completely the wrong angle. Stretching in his bed, he opened his eyes to see gauzy curtains drifting lightly into the room. Sitting up he looked out the doors, which were open to a lovely little balcony. Standing up he went to take a look and saw the house was positioned on a hill. From this spot he had a wonderful view of the beach and the ocean.

"Shunsui?" Looking down he smiled in amusement as he saw Juushiro had done the exact same thing. He was standing on a nearby balcony, his expression a little awed. "Is this real?"

"It most certainly is." For a moment he just reveled in the feel of the reishi in the air and the intensity of the colors. It made him never want to leave… but he would have to, eventually. When? Mentally, he gave it a week. That was a good vacation. He wasn't the least bit worried now about Starrk letting them go. His first impressions of the arrancar was right… no matter how long he had spent as a hollow in Hueco Mundo, he behaved more like a lonely young man desperate to make friends. "Hm, I'm going to take a bath." He'd noticed that the bathroom in his suite was absolutely stupendous. A deep soaker tub… Juushiro laughed softly.

"You're getting into this. But I suppose there's no reason not to enjoy it… and we need to know more about them." He said and Shunsui nodded, sobering a bit. They really needed to know more about this possible threat. Right now, Starrk and Lilinette seemed about as threatening as a chipmunk but that could change. They had defeated Aizen, after all.

After a nice, hot bath, they both went to find the arrancar. They were quite easy to find… Lilinette was in the kitchen, tilting her head to one side before copying food items, trying them and erasing them. Some she kept with a giggle. She looked up with a smile as she saw them.

"Hey look! I've been making breakfast!" She said cheerfully and Shunsui looked over the food with a bemused smile. It was the kind of spread Yachiru would appreciate. Pop tarts, chocolate croissants, waffles with whipped cream and apple compote…

"Ah, I don't suppose you could make me some eggs?" Shunsui asked as Juushiro went for the croissants, smiling. His best friend had always had a sweet tooth but he didn't really share it. Lilinette blinked and scratched her head before concentrating. Then a dish popped into existence. It looked like it had just been stolen from a very fancy restaurant. Three poached eggs, a hash of potatoes and short ribs with a bit of toast and hollandaise sauce… "Ah, wonderful! Thank you. And where is Starrk?" He asked as he settled in at the table. Lilinette took a plate of waffles and a few pop tarts before answering.

"He's still sleeping, the lazy bum. I can go kick him awake if you want." She offered but Shunsui shook his head with a smile.

"No need. Tell me, Lilinette. What are the two of you planning to do?" He asked and saw Juushiro pause for a moment in his eating. The little girl arrancar shrugged, sampling a pop tart.

"Be beach bums. Maybe go visit that bar sometime, with the guy who didn't run away. Make sure to bring him some money 'cause we can't be sponges. Drag you guys in for a visit when we're feeling all lonesome, if you're okay with that." She added, which was nice. "If you're asking if we're planning to become the god-king's of Soul Society or something the answer is no. I think it would be boring and pointless and the thought of getting everyone mad at him makes Starrk all queasy. We have like, no ambition at all." She sounded perversely proud of the lack.

"Hmm. Well, that is a bit reassuring." If these two tried to take over Soul Society, what would happen? He honestly had no clue. Would the Soul King have to stop them himself? And would he? There were good reasons he had to stay in the Celestial Realm but these two did not seem tied to any location. They both looked up at a faint, far off scream.

"Oh, I think he found that thing I put in his clothes drawer." Lilinette said cheerfully. They both looked at her curiously and she explained. "It was like a box with these fabric snakes in! They pop out, it's fun! I wedged it so they would all come out when he opened the drawer!"

"You are a very cruel child." Juushiro said severely, but couldn't help the amusement in his tone. She grinned at him and they both looked up as Starrk came into the room, looking a touch shell-shocked and holding a fuzzy pink toy snake.

"I don't even… Lilinette, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He asked plaintively and she giggled. "Oh, food?" Starrk looked at it with a vaguely alarmed air before shrugging and taking a croissant.

After a bit more chatting and lingering over breakfast, they went down to the beach. Shunsui deeply enjoyed the sun and the ambiance, especially when Starrk fetched a few books from his rooms. Although…

"You know what this party really needs? Women." He said and, to his slight surprise, Starrk immediately perked up and looked at him attentively.

"Women?" He asked and Lilinette groaned from where she was lying on the sand.

"Now you've done it. He's just _desperate_ for a girlfriend but he has NO idea how to get one…"

"Lilinette!" Starrk was already blushing but his little friend just ignored him, maundering on as the two shinigami listened in fascination.

"…He died just when he was noticing girls and then he got to see ALL the stuff the Queen was doing and I KNOW he wanted it to be him…"

"_Lilinette!"_

"…And in Hueco Mundo we were too strong so he's like a thousand-year old virgin…"

"Oh that's it!" For the very first time, Juushiro and Shunsui had the pleasure of seeing Starrk really taking revenge on his smaller companion. Lilinette yelped in surprise as he grabbed her by the back of her swimsuit and wound back.

The throw was absolutely titanic. Lilinette went flying with a scream and landed in the ocean with a tremendous splash. Starrk looked after her with an air of satisfaction before taking a seat.

"So, um… women? Is there anyone in particular I should bring…?" He asked hopefully and Shunsui grinned as Juushiro shook his head. They could both hear Lilinette cursing and they were sure Starrk was going to regret that soon.

This was really very amusing.

Author's Note: There's going to be more! This was just getting too long so I figured I'd split it up, heh. ^_^


	34. Heat

Starrk walked through the streets of Karakura town, a rather mischievous smile on his lips. Lilinette walked beside him, just as amused at what was happening.

"Wow, that took a long time, didn't it Starrk?" She said and he nodded.

"A very long time." Normally a hollow heat was a monthly occurrence. It was very annoying, much like menstrual cramps. Betas just learned to live with it, when they weren't interested in mating. On his transition to arrancar, though, Starrk's heats had stopped completely. He'd assumed that meant he was sterile.

Now, however, he was in the throes of the most massive heat of his life. The desire to mate was singing through him and Starrk was not going to rest until he found someone to mate. However, that posed problems.

Grimmjow was god-only-knows where, probably killing things. If Starrk had been able to find him, he would have mated the cat instantly. He wasn't really ideal – Starrk was relatively sure he'd be abandoned as soon as the heat was over – but he was decently powered and an arrancar. Acceptable, if just barely.

But he hadn't been able to find the cat and the other arrancar were unacceptable. So now he was trying to attract the attention of the only other hybrids who might be capable of seeding him.

"My my. What is the Primera doing here? Taking a stroll?" That voice. Starrk sighed to himself, turning to look at the owner. Then his heart did a dance as he saw who else was with him. He'd brought the two strongest ones! Normally that would have worried him – clearly they'd decided to send a very powerful group to bring the hammer down – but not today.

"I'm not interested in you." He said to the man in pink. Screw him. He might as well not exist. "But thank you so very, very much for bringing these two." He fixed his gaze on the man with the disturbing smile and the one with the silver hair. "I am Coyote Starrk." He said, breathing out just the faintest touch of his mating pheromones. He could feel the hollows inside those two instantly perk up. "Tell me, what are your names?"

"Hirako Shinji." The one with the smile said. He was grinning right now, in fact.

"Muguruma Kensei." The other one said shortly. Starrk smiled as the one with the other one spoke again.

"Now, what d'you think you're doin' here? I thought you said you'd be staying in Hueco Mundo." He said as Starrk put a finger in his mouth, teasingly sucking on the digit. As he did that, Kensei frowned and Starrk could feel the energy in him fluctuate. He pulled the finger out, allowing the wetness to gleam in the light of the moon. He could practically feel the hollows inside these two twitching, but the shinigami seemed largely oblivious. Interesting.

"Well, I wasn't expecting this to happen." He said idly, examining his finger for a moment before wiping it off on his uniform. He could sense Lilinette beginning to grow impatient but he was honestly having fun teasing them. The man in pink, oddly enough, picked up on what he was doing.

"Are you flirting, Espada-san?" He sounded very amused and the two Visored exchanged a glance. Starrk smiled, also quite amused.

"Something like that." Although rather more profound. Lilinette sighed in irritation.

"OI! Stop playing with them Starrk!" She said and he sighed. "Just do it! Do it!"

"Oh… alright." He rested a hand on her head and called on his power. "Kick About, Los Lobos!" He called forth his resurrection in a burst of surprisingly gentle blue fire. But most of the power was directed in a completely different way than usual and both the Visored reeled as his aroma went from enticing to irresistible.

"No… I can't…" Shinji was just barely hanging on, but then Kensei lost control completely. A hollow mask went over his face, and more. Strange projections formed on his back and black and gold eyes stared at the Beta in front of him with feral intent. Then he noticed the Alpha hollow beside him and turned, punching Shinji in the face. The blow caused the other Visored to lose control as well and his mask appeared as he leapt at Kensei with a roar.

"What the…?!" The only one unaffected by what Starrk had done was Shunsui and he was utterly appalled. "What is going on here? Stop!" The two hollows ignored him, concentrating on grappling each other as Starrk watched calmly. They were causing a great deal of property damage but he didn't care. In fact, he didn't even think about it. "What have you done?" Kyoraku had his swords out and was glaring at him but Starrk met his gaze with complete unconcern. He knew if the other man actually tried to harm him, the two Visored currently fighting it out would turn on him viciously.

"I am in heat and now, they are in rut." Starrk said calmly, watching as the battle continued. It was getting vicious. "They fight to see who will have the privilege of mating me and seeding me with offspring." That was a perfectly logical thing to do. If he'd been a weaker Beta they might have made HIM seek their attention. They were both very powerful Alphas. But he was not a weak Beta… he was an obscenely strong one, the kind of Beta powerful Alphas dreamed of someday encountering. The two hollows within the shinigami desperately wanted this prize. Shunsui absorbed that for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"Can you move them? If they unleash ceros here many people could be killed." He said and Starrk blinked. He hadn't thought of that… but then, his own reasoning capacity was centred on one thing and that was mating. The heat burning through him demanded it. Starrk frowned as he realized this was a real problem.

"You're right." He said before flying into the air. A quick shot of his weapon into the sky caught their attention, since it could signify the Beta was in danger. "We need to move this so you can fight without interference. Follow me." He said before vanishing in a quick sonido. There was a pair of protests but he could feel the two Alphas following him. Of course they would. How could they not? Interestingly enough, Shunsui did not follow them. Likely he was going to summon help to corral the hollows. That briefly concerned Starrk but there wasn't much he could do about it. He just hoped these two finished their battle quickly.

As soon as Starrk found a new spot, safely out of the city, the battle recommenced. He watched their techniques with interest. They weren't just fighting with pure hollow abilities, now. Starrk had a feeling the rut was reaching the shinigami within as well. After all, shinigami felt a need to breed. It might not have been as hormonally driven as what hollows experienced, but it was powerful.

The battle was very near to done and Starrk thought Shinji would win when suddenly, a third combatant appeared.

"_Getsuga Tenshou!"_ That eerie, double toned voice caught the Beta's attention and he turned his head in time to see a blast of black and red power. It hit the two hollows, making them scream.

"_Hey! That's not fair!" _Kensei protested, his voice carrying the same double tone as the strangers. It reminded Starrk a little of a soul scream. Odd, but there was nothing normal about these hybrids. The one above them tittered, a truly unnerving sound.

"_Life's not fair, motherfuckers!"_ He said before attacking full force. Starrk's eyes widened a little in appreciation. True, Shinji and Kensei were both slightly exhausted but he thought maybe this stranger could have taken them both even when they were rested. Who was he? The hair was pure white. The Espada honestly had no idea.

It didn't take very long for the newcomer to completely destroy the two Visored. They were both lying in smoking craters, still alive but badly hurt, when the victor turned towards him. Slate grey eyes, gripped with the fever of the heat, met equally crazed black and gold. Then the other hollow leapt and Starrk didn't try to evade. This one had won the right to mate him, without a doubt.

"_Shit you are so strong!"_ The Alpha said as he pinned the Coyote to the ground, biting his throat. Starrk grunted, tilting his head back for his new Alpha. He tasted the blood, making a sound of utter desire. Starrk knew what he was doing… sampling the power in the blood, evaluating his strength. _"I'd mate anything, no fucking chances in here, but you're so damned perfect!"_

"Thank you." Vaguely, Starrk supposed it would be different for the hollows trapped in these hybrids. How many chances for mating could they have? Practically none. Whatever sex their 'hosts' were having probably didn't count. "You are wonderful too." Truly, he'd found more than he'd hoped for. Just a single powerful Alpha would have been enough but three? His day was full.

"_Enough talking, more fucking."_ The hollow said and Starrk agreed. Clothing was pulled away impatiently and then Starrk took the right position, hands and knees in front of the Alpha. His body was breached by one smooth thrust and Starrk grunted, lowering his head for a moment at the pleasurable burn. His body flexed and shifted, struggling to accommodate that length. His Alpha was large… _"Shit! So tight… this your first heat?"_ The absurdity of that question made Starrk laugh, but it ended in a gasp as the other began to move.

"No. But if you live… first successful… mating…" He'd tried many times, when he'd still been an adjuchas. But the potent reiatsu that marked him as a future vasto lorde had killed his partners before they could fill him with seed. The Vizard behind him laughed.

"_Now that won't be a problem."_ Starrk was glad he was confident. The power in him was already rising, like a tornado of force. He wouldn't be able to hold it back.

But the other hollow was right to be confident. That hard length tortured his insides, drawing howls and barks from the Primera, the primal sounds of a dog hollow satisfying a heat. His power began flowing out of him, meshing with the power behind him. That was the dangerous point… if the other was too weak his Beta power would utterly destroy him. But he was strong, so very strong and the potent force of his reiatsu merged with Starrk's fearlessly. That combined power stroked them both, feeling like the best caress in the world, sinking into their bodies and leaking out, driving them to even wilder mating. There were no words now, only animal sounds and pants. The hollow behind him hissed violently, reminding Starrk of a lizard as he ground against his body, struggling to get as far as possible into the wet heat of his chosen Beta.

They were very close to finishing when Starrk vaguely detected the energy of approaching shinigami. That wasn't good… this mating had to finish. Trying to signal his urgency he whined and the other responded, taking him even harder. Starrk could feel the swell inside him, the knot forming to keep the other's semen and power in place. It was not just physical, but reiatsu based, a powerful instinct. And for good reason… when they were done the defeated Alphas might still have a chance, if they recovered quickly enough. The form behind him finally stiffened and Starrk cried out as his orgasm came over him. Powerful reiatsu, blue and black and red exploded from them as the other pumped him full of reiatsu and semen. The coming shinigami faltered in the face of that reiatsu storm, which bought them just enough time.

"_Shit! We have to get out of here."_ The Vizard beside him hissed as the power died down. Starrk looked over his shoulder with a blink.

"We?" He'd assumed that whatever mating he managed with the Vizard would result in his abandonment. He honestly didn't mind. Most Betas raised their pups alone, although they always appreciated it when an Alpha stayed. The Vizard chuckled, running a hand through his chestnut hair, petting him as their bodies remained linked. He was giving his body time to subside, which was necessary.

"_I'm probably never going to have a proper mate again. I'm not letting you get away. Fuck King, he managed to sleep through this, the idiot."_ Starrk frowned at that and wanted to ask a question, but they were truly out of time. The other pulled out of him and he immediately grabbed his clothes. _"Come on, make a garganta, I can't."_

"Yes." Starrk had always wondered why the Vizard couldn't make garganta. Perhaps they didn't have the natural navigation instinct that was required. It hardly mattered at the moment, though. He created the garganta and they both stepped through.

It had already closed by the time the shinigami arrived.

* * *

Ichigo yawned, shifting slightly as he woke up from the most wonderful dream he'd ever had.

It was a strange dream though. For one thing, it had felt shockingly real. He'd dreamed that he'd gotten out of bed, smelling something absolutely wonderful that he needed to find. Why he needed it he wasn't sure, but he'd gone to find the source of the tantalizing aroma. He'd defeated the hollows – Vizard? – fighting over a brown haired man. Then he'd had sex with the man and it had been beyond amazing.

That scent though. He could still smell it. Slowly opening his eyes, he became aware of a head of brown hair right in front of his own.

…_! _Ichigo stared in shock, vaguely aware of his hollow laughing in the back of his mind. The man from his dream was in front of him, deeply asleep on some rather grubby cushions. A little girl was with him, curled up beside him. Ichigo was on his own cushion and they were in a cave?

"Wh-what… what…" There was a stutter in the soft breathing beside him and the man's head turned. Ichigo's breath caught in his throat as he _recognized_ him. "You!" The man stared at him blankly for a moment before blinking.

"Oh… you? But your hair was white." He sounded confused and Ichigo scowled, reaching for his sword. Then his hollow's voice rang out.

_No way King!_ And abruptly, the white psychopath went into full rebellion. Ichigo grit his teeth as he tried to fight through it. He was going to –

Then warm fingers ran over his chest and Ichigo's eyes went wide as the hollow beside him kissed him full on the mouth. His mind cushioned in shock, he stared at the other man. He was looking at him with eyes that were full of warmth and desire.

"Fuck me, Alpha." He said, his voice husky and Ichigo shuddered. He was attracted to men and the way this guy was looking at him and that strange scent in the air… he was getting hard. He couldn't help it. Why was his hollow laughing? "Mate me, fill me with your seed." A warm tongue laved his throat and he abruptly lost control.

Grabbing the stranger – who was he again? Aside from the guy who had taken Orihime? – he got on top of him and ground their cloth covered erections together. The man beneath him moaned, letting his head fall back and exposing his throat for Ichigo's attentions. He gave it, feeling a compulsion to bite that pale column. So he did, tasting the blood in his mouth. It was filled with that beautiful scent and he whimpered deep in his throat, desperately needing more. His fingers bit into that pale skin, raising more tiny droplets of blood and releasing more of the scent into the air. Gasping, Ichigo completely gave up control to his instincts and just let himself _feel._

The hollow rose up within him, not taking control but sharing in a strange Doppler effect. Ichigo felt a half-mask forming and didn't care. He worked on the ties to the other man's hakama, yanking down the fabric. To his pleasure, he wore nothing beneath it. Then his own hakama and underthings came off. Vaguely he noticed that the young girl had just woken up and he hesitated… until the hollow reached out to brush a hand over her helmet.

The girl vanished in blue sparkles and the man in front of him changed. Suddenly he had a mask fragment bracketing an empty eye socket, with a flame marking that matched the girl. And that scent just _exploded._ Ichigo knew there were things he was supposed to do – anal sex wasn't easy – but suddenly that knowledge didn't seem important. What he needed, what he wanted was to be _inside,_ right _now._

So that was what he did. Griping those long, limber legs, he flicked them over his shoulders before slamming into the other man. That should have hurt, he vaguely knew, but the stranger reacted as though it was the best thing he'd ever felt in his life. The cry beneath him was satisfying and it became moreso as he continued to take that man with a rough, harsh rhythm. It seemed like there was nothing he could do that would hurt him, which was good because right now Ichigo had no control. Although even in the frenzied sex, there was still one thing he wanted to know.

"What… is your name…?" He gasped out, before kissing the man. Their tongues fought for supremacy before the other submitted, allowing the young vizard to plunder his mouth.

"Coyote Starrk." He groaned out and Ichigo did know that name. One of the surviving arrancar, the Primera Espada… he'd promised to stay in Hueco Mundo. Why hadn't he? Then the pleasure wiped all coherent thought away and Ichigo bit down on a pale shoulder, tasting that intoxicating blood. "Oh sweet kami more…" More was definitely what he wanted to give this man.

As they had sex, Ichigo felt the other's spiritual pressure leaking out in a vortex like storm. His own responded without thought and he was left gasping at the feel of it, the urgent caresses that seemed to mimic their physical bodies. He groaned as he felt his completion coming, so close yet teasingly out of reach.

Then, wish an abrupt suddenness, he found it. The intense pleasure almost made him scream and the arrancar beneath him howled as their spiritual pressure almost exploded, flowing outwards in a powerful wave. Anything too weak died and those few who were strong enough fled. There was nothing in sensing distance powerful enough to challenge the Alpha and safely mate the Beta. They could only flee.

As he came down from his instinctual high, Ichigo wondered what he was doing. He had just…? With someone he didn't even know, except that he was one of Aizen's former lackey's and had taken Orihime away from him?

_Why not ask him, King?_ His hollow sounded amused and Ichigo scowled. The hollow he was lying against, still entangled with, registered the expression and reacted with a soft whine. Ichigo blinked as his lips were nibbled. What was he…? _Oi. He's a canine and he thinks you're mad at him for something. He's saying sorry in dog language._

"Oh… uh… I was just upset with my inner hollow." He apologized to the man beneath him, who immediately relaxed and looked at him with trust in his single grey eye. Was this really an Espada? He was acting so… strangely. "He said I should ask you what's going on." He was sure the white lunatic could tell him, he was just choosing not to. The man… Starrk… looked a bit surprised.

"Oh… I am a Beta in heat. You are an Alpha in rut. So we are mating, for as long as the heat lasts." He said and Ichigo swallowed as a hand went over his chest. "I'm honestly not sure how long that will be. Nothing about this is typical. I thought I was sterile… this is my first heat as an arrancar." He sounded very pleased and Ichigo wondered why. "And you are the first partner I have ever had who could take my spiritual pressure and live." Ah, that explained it.

"Mmm." Ichigo slowly separated from the stranger before glancing around. Then he blinked, going stiff as the surroundings registered. "Where am I?" This was not his rooms. This wasn't even the clearing from his dream. This was a cave, set deep in the stone and surprisingly comfortable. The man yawned and his body sparkled with blue light before that little girl reappeared. Ichigo blushed violently and grabbed for his clothes.

"Hueco Mundo… what's wrong?" He asked in concern and Ichigo stuttered as he pulled back on his pants.

"You just – she's – I'm naked!" That was a little girl and he was naked in front of her. The man just stared at him blankly for a moment before snorting and the girl rolled her single eye.

"Oi, he's a dumbass. I'm half of Starrk's soul, moron. You just mated me too." She informed him and he stared at her in horror. "Look, just think of me as his zanpakuto. Your zanpakuto could feel what's going on, couldn't he?"

"Uh…" Ichigo was sure Zangetsu would never do such a thing. The pained feeling he got from his sword spirit confirmed that. "Maybe my inner hollow is a better comparison." He certainly had felt everything. "But you're a child?" That seemed strange to him. Starrk sighed, laying back and putting his hands beneath his head.

"Her appearance is more true to our nature. We both died very young." He said softly and Ichigo swallowed at that, looking at the girl. She shrugged slightly. "Please, don't worry about it. We're strange but it's just how we are. Her name is Lilinette." He said, gently touching her helmet again. She smiled at him cheerfully.

"Ya! And I'm so glad you're here. We really needed to mate, it was starting to hurt when we found you." She said and Ichigo swallowed before nodding. Although…

"So, um, when this is over what will you do?" He had no way to leave Hueco Mundo. Although Kisuke and the others were probably trying to find him. Starrk yawned before smiling.

"If you wish to leave I will make a garganta for you." He said, which was a great weight off Ichigo's mind. The Espada saw that and his smile turned bittersweet. The little girl beside him sighed and grumbled something, but he hushed her gently. "Tell me. The human world looks so strange to me now… what is it like, living there?" He said and Ichigo blinked. When had this guy died, exactly?

"Um, well, it's pretty nice…" Hesitantly, he tried to tell the arrancar about his life in Karakura town. It was difficult and he often had to stop to explain basic concepts. The Espada didn't know what a car was, or a computer. Ichigo began figuring out how to explain it to him, though. 'Horseless carriage' helped him understand cars and 'calculating machine' seemed to work with computers.

Then the heat built up again. Ichigo could feel it, like an energy in the air, a need singing along his skin. There was no point in resisting and it was impossible anyway, when the Espada took his zanpakuto/fraccion/soul fragment back and the pheromones exploded again. Soon he was sheathed in that wet heat again and didn't question it.

The power of the heat was too much to be denied.

* * *

It was three days before the heat began to fade.

Starrk was almost sad to feel it go. He was finding he liked the young Vizard. His stories about the Living World were fascinating. Starrk hadn't been able to go there before he met Aizen, and his power was restrained by both his teachings and the hogyoku. And after that, Aizen had forbidden his Espada to visit the Living World. So Starrk simply hadn't been able to go see how it had changed.

Then, in the aftermath of defeat, he'd managed to escape back to Hueco Mundo. He'd encountered some shinigami in the ruins of Los Noches. They had been too few in number to reliably defeat him but could have given him a nasty battle. So when they'd asked him to promise that he would not visit Soul Society or the Living World, he had acquiesced. Now he rather regretted that. Perhaps he could take it back? He wanted to see some of the things Ichigo was describing…

Starrk had done his best to reciprocate, as well. Not with stories of his past as a Living man… that had been both short and unpleasant… but about his time in Los Noches. It had been a cold, empty place, filled with cold, bitter people, but there had still been amusing stories to tell.

Eventually, though, it had to come to an end. Starrk created the garganta and regretfully bid the young man farewell. Ichigo gave him a shy smile before purposefully heading down the garganta. Given the time difference, he would only have lost a single day. Likely the shinigami were still readying the garganta generator to go after him. Starrk and Lilinette both watched as the garganta closed and Starrk sighed. He was not surprised to be abandoned. It was the way of things, in Hueco Mundo.

"…Hey Starrk?" Lilinette suddenly said and he looked down at her. "You know, that hollow of his… he must know but… do you think he told Ichigo that we're knocked up?" She asked and Starrk paused in surprise.

"Er… I don't know." That was interesting. Although… "I told him we were in heat. Surely he understands?" Although their gender might have confused him. "That's interesting. I'm not sure what difference it makes, though." Starrk said after a moment. "I'm definitely not going to the Living World in this condition. In fact, we should find a new den." This one might be compromised and he did not trust the shinigami. Lilinette nodded.

"Yeah. I just wonder if he would have left if he'd known." She said and Starrk frowned before turning away.

"It wouldn't be right to keep him here. He has a life there and many people in it." He said firmly. "We are hollows and we will do what hollows do." Raise the pups on their own. "Come." He set off purposefully, Lilinette skipping behind him.

They would find a nice, secure den and begin to hunt. The pups would need more energy than just their bodies could provide.


	35. Parasite

"I love you too." A white clad hand gently stroked brown fur. The cat receiving the caress purred lovingly, staring at the owner of the hand and blinking slowly. "I love you three and four, five and six. But mostly, I love you too."

Coyote Starrk was hiding. His injuries were bad and still not completely healed. Lilinette was… not gone, precisely, but lost within his soul collection. He wasn't sure he would ever be able to bring her out again. And if he could not do that, he could not use his resurrection. At least, he didn't think he could. He hadn't tried because that would be idiotic.

Right now, he was living in the depths of an abandoned building. Strangely enough, there had already been a hangout built into the place, complete with kido's meant to hide any stray energy. Starrk had no way to know that he'd gotten extremely lucky, finding the only safe path into the Visored's old hangout. And the Visored had already left for Soul Society, taking up their old positions. None of them were interested in looking back, leaving the place fully available for the broken arrancar.

The only company he had was the nameless cat. It was some kind of Siamese hybrid and had quite firmly attached herself to the arrancar. For some reason, the beast could see him and tolerate his reiatsu. Starrk loved it. He had something other than himself, something to keep him sane. He often fed the little thing, giving her tinned food from the stores he had found. She didn't depend on him, though. No, she was a mouser without peer. Starrk had woken up from a nap one morning to find a dead mouse right in front of his face. The scream had been impressively girlish and Lilinette would have mocked him mercilessly, had she had been there.

The cat finally had enough petting – it was difficult for her to reach capacity, but she could manage – and left him to take a nap on his cushions. Starrk smiled as he watched her settle in, hiding her little mask face under her tail. It was adorable. He decided to take her lead, and also settled on a cushion to nap.

There really wasn't much else to do.

* * *

_Why do I feel so strange?_ Shunsui ran a hand nervously over the hilt of his sword. He could vaguely hear Katen Kyokotsu's voice. Yet, the words were unclear. It was just the sound of her voice, like a gentle background noise in his mind. She was trying to tell him something but he couldn't make out what.

"Kyoraku taichou, are you paying attention?" Yama-jii rumbled and Shunsui started slightly, glancing around. Where was he again? A meeting. Of course, this was a meeting. Juushiro was sitting beside him and giving him a concerned look.

"Shunsui, are you well?" He asked softly and Shunsui took a deep breath before giving his best friend a warm smile.

"I'm fine. Still recovering from my wounds." That was certainly true. They pulled on him every time he moved too energetically, reminding him of how Aizen had very nearly killed him. The traitor had pulled his blow slightly, however. He'd wanted the taichou to live, to help maintain the balance of the three worlds for him. Shunsui wondered, vaguely, if he would have consented when Aizen possessed the Soul King's throne. Maintaining the balance of the three worlds was vital to shinigami and while it was painful to contemplate, he knew practicality might have won out. Although, how would Aizen have been able to trust him? What method of control would have been used? He was honestly glad he would never find out. Then a hand touched his shoulder and Shunsui blinked as he realized everyone was staring at him.

"Shunsui." It was hard for Yamamoto to sound gentle, with his forceful personality, but he was trying. "Perhaps you should go visit the Fourth."

"Um? I feel fine." He said, strangely disinclined to do that. Shunsui knew that not being able to communicate with his zanpakuto should be a cause for concern but somehow, it didn't worry him. The hand on his shoulder squeezed and he turned his head to see Juushiro again.

"Shunsui, you were staring into space. You wouldn't respond when we spoke to you." He said softly and Shunsui blinked, then frowned. Unohana wasn't there – she was tending to those with severe injuries – or he was sure he'd be getting a scan.

"I… didn't notice. Perhaps you're right. I'll go." Although even as he said it, he knew he was lying. He could easily make it look like he'd gone, though. Shunsui knew how to fake that, he'd done it before. He shook his head before giving his attention to Yamamoto. "Later, after this meeting. There was something you wanted me to do?" Perhaps they could just get to that. Yamamoto frowned at him but nodded.

"I was going to ask you to take the recent graduating class to the Living World for an exercise, since they desperately need it and you are among the least wounded." Yamamoto said after a moment and Shunsui nodded. Teaching recruits was an enormous pain but it was actually very important. "Particularly with Nanao for support. However… do you feel that Ise fukutaichou can handle this on her own?" He asked and Shunsui considered it for a moment. Vaguely, he wanted to reject the idea. He would protect his Nanao-chan. But he could always follow through the dangai. Smiling, he decided he would do that. He would keep his Nanao-chan safe.

"Yes, she should be able to handle it nicely." He said and with that settled, he was dismissed from the meeting to go to the Fourth. He handled that with aplomb, visiting one particular girl there who had captured his fancy before. Soon they were deep in a bit of flirting and Shunsui knew he'd fulfilled the word if not the spirit of the instructions. He'd visited the Fourth. Then he went to see Nanao and give her the instructions. As he did, he felt a strange fluttering in his chest, a sense of anticipation. Smiling to himself, he touched Katen Kyokotsu's hilt. Her wordless voice was so pleasant, in the back of his mind.

Soon he would go down the dangai. Everything would be just fine.

* * *

Starrk lifted his head with a frown, an old wolf scenting a change in the wind.

"Shinigami." He muttered. The wards around his hideout did not impede his reiatsu sensing for one moment. "Hm." There were a lot of signatures, but they were weak. They couldn't possibly be looking for him. Deciding it was likely some training exercise, he half-closed his eyes but did not go back to sleep.

He would monitor this. It might be important.

* * *

Shunsui felt very strange.

He was there to keep an eye on Nanao, keep her from harm. As he slipped through the woods, though, other thoughts began to fill his mind. Some of them were very familiar to him. Thoughts of how beautiful his Nanao-chan would look naked on his pillows. How her body would feel beneath his hands, how wonderful it would be to show her the pleasures of sex. Shunsui didn't think Nanao was a virgin, but he strongly suspected she had no idea what her body could do. He could show her so many things…

But then his thoughts and fantasies began to go strange, unsettling places. He imagined how her blood would taste. Salty yet sweet, the fragrance would be heady. And her flesh… what would that taste like? That would be sweet too. He could imagine the texture… she would be so tender, like the finest veal. But that wasn't the most important part. No, that would be her… soul. Yes, that would be the best part. How would that taste? Each soul was unique. He knew that, but he'd never thought about how it would affect the flavor. Would she be sweet like candy? Sour, like a bit of pickled plum? Crunchy? Whatever she was like, she would be delicious…

Shunsui was vaguely aware that his zanpakuto was screaming at him, in the back of his mind, but it was unimportant. He'd just spotted some of the young cadets. They wouldn't be as satisfying as his Nanao-chan but for now, they would do. Almost purring in anticipation, he drew his swords.

He needed to satisfy his hunger. Soon, he would feast.

* * *

Starrk knew something was wrong when the immature soul reaper signatures began vanishing.

One of his unique attributes had always been an incredibly precise reiatsu sensing. Before he'd met Aizen, that sense had let him easily seek out other hollows on the rare occasions he actually required sustenance. As an arrancar, it had made it utterly impossible for anyone to sneak up on him. When someone had entered his wing, Starrk had always known. He'd often chosen to ignore it – who cared if Ulquiorra was coming to bother him? – but he'd never been surprised. The only one who could truly surprise him had been Lilinette, who was part of him and did not register to his sensing in the same way as others.

But now the shinigami he'd been keeping an eye on were vanishing to his senses. Starrk opened his eyes, frowning slightly as he sat up. He didn't detect any hollows. What was going on out there?

Then he did. His breath caught in his throat as he registered a very faint, irregular hollow reiatsu. Underlaying it, though, was a carefully controlled signature. It was so very well controlled that Starrk couldn't identify it. But he knew what it felt like when someone very strong was hiding his or her strength. Flipping to his feet, he decided he needed to at least see what was going on.

Then he would decide if it was his place to intervene.

* * *

Shunsui looked into vacant brown eyes and felt nothing.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. He felt a great deal of pleasure. The taste of blood on his tongue, the heaviness in his gut, was deeply satisfying. Lifting his sword, he stared at the blood on it. It was becoming tacky. He needed a fresh kill, more hot blood, a new soul to devour.

Souls tasted as wonderful as he'd thought. These two had tasted like… dark chocolate covered marzipan. His favorite treat, the taste still lingered in his mouth. He paused to slice away a bit of flesh, removing the skin with practiced ease before popping the morsel into his mouth. Not that he'd ever skinned a human before, but he'd handled plenty of game in his day. Really, what was the difference?

Then he sensed someone coming and hid with a smile. His Nanao-chan was going to be so surprised! He'd already left her so many presents and she'd found several of them. He could feel the horror in her reiatsu and it aroused him. She was trying so hard to find him now, but he was staying teasingly out of reach.

Although, he was starting to feel very hungry. These lesser shinigami just weren't enough. His lovely Nanao-chan… just the thought of her soul, her flesh and blood made his mouth water. He needed her, so badly. Vaguely, he wanted to have sex with her first but he knew he couldn't. She would scream and fight him and somehow, he didn't like that thought. Although he wasn't sure why he found it so distasteful. Yet, the hunger was his primary motivation. It was sad, but he could just concentrate on that.

Shunsui stayed over the two bodies, this time. She could find him. How would she react? More horror, of course. Shock, betrayal, fear? He looked forward to her fear. It would smell so wonderful on her, like a fine perfume. Almost as nice as the peony scent she liked to wear…

"Kyoraku taichou?" Ah, there she was. He lifted his face, enjoying the way her eyes widened behind her glasses. They didn't obscure her eyes at all… no, they made them look larger. One of the things he loved about his Nanao-chan. "Wh-what… what…?" Her eyes went to the bodies and back to him.

"Yes, Nanao-chan?" He said pleasantly, smiling at her. She swallowed hard, her gaze caught by the blood on his face. He reached up to rub a bit of it away. It was getting dry and tacky, unpleasant. It was always so much better fresh and hot.

"Why?" She whispered and he could feel her betrayal. Then he frowned as she gathered herself, her eyes hardening behind her glasses. "You are not Kyoraku taichou. You're a hollow." That made him pout. A hard resolve was not the reaction he wanted from her.

"Oh Nanao-chan, you are so wrong! But let me prove it to you." He could fix it easily, after all. Smiling, he readied his swords. Should he use his shikai? No, that wouldn't be necessary, not against his dear Nanao-chan. "I can't wait to taste you." He let the warm desire curl in his voice. It was a shame he wouldn't be tasting her sweet body beneath him, but he would take what he could. Her soul… how beautiful it would be. She reached into her sleeve for her zanpakuto as he moved.

Kido was his Nanao-chan's strength, of course. She immediately began using it against him and he was forced to deal with it… but he was a taichou and she was a fukutaichou. Her spiritual pressure was no match for his and despite the protesting voice of his zanpakuto in his mind, they still answered to him. She did force him to release his shikai but then he had her. She stared up at him from the ground, her face stained with her own blood and her eyes wide. He smiled at her as he felt her fear and lifted his blade for the fatal blow –

"Shunsui, stop." That voice riveted him and his hand froze, the blade just gently pricking her skin. "Get off her." He obeyed instantly, turning to look at the owner of the voice. He knew it, although he'd never expected to see the owner again. He'd been absolutely certain he'd killed the man.

"Espada-sama." Shunsui murmured before kneeling in respect, as he should before one of his masters. Then he bowed his head. "How may I serve you?" He asked before twitching, swallowing. He did need Nanao's soul. "Please, Espada-sama, may I feed on her?" He asked in a supplicating tone.

"No." The answer was firm and he bit his lip. The souls of the others were not enough, but if the Espada said he could not feed, he had to obey. A hand gently ran through his hair before gripping his chin, tilting his head up. He met thoughtful grey eyes for a moment, then dropped his gaze. The wound on the Espada's chest was still only half-healed, extremely ugly in the ruins of his uniform. "Ah… you are very hungry, aren't you?" Coyote Starrk asked and Shunsui's gaze went back up, fixing on the Espada's in a mute plea. "I will feed you." He said and Shunsui's eyes were suddenly riveted on his other hand. A ball of energy was forming there and his mouth watered at the thought of devouring it. It was so much more potent than even Nanao's soul would be! Although…

"Can you spare so much energy, Espada-sama?" He asked, concerned for the other man's welfare. Starrk smiled down at him, but it was a touch brittle.

"I will be fine. Take it." He said, offering him the ball and Shunsui did not need to be told twice. He gripped the man's wrist and swallowed the infusion of energy. It was similar to a cero but much gentler. It tasted like… like whisky and bitters. Delicious, tasty beyond words. He licked Starrk's palm, catching every stray flicker of energy. He wished he could ask for more but that would be greedy. His master clearly needed all the power he had, to mend his own wounds. Wounds he had created…

"I am sorry for injuring you, Starrk-sama." He said softly and there was a sigh above him. A hand rested on his shoulder as a voice spoke from behind them.

"What have you done to him?" Nanao-chan and her voice was hard and stern. Shunsui turned his head, tensing at the tone. If she tried to harm Starrk… his hands fell to the hilts of his swords. If she tried to attack him, he would kill her.

"Nothing. Aizen did this." A hand gently went through his hair and Shunsui relaxed a bit at the touch. "It was meant to be a method to control the taichou he defeated. A mental parasite, designed by Szayel. But it should not have activated like this… strange." The hand in his hair paused before pulling away. "Go back to Soul Society and bring the healing taichou here. No one else." Starrk's tone was warning but not hostile. "If I detect anyone else I will leave and take him with me to Hueco Mundo, to be my pet and servant."

"You expect me to trust you?" Nanao said and Shunsui frowned at the tone. And she had completely omitted the honorifics.

"Show respect for Starrk-sama." He said harshly and there was a soft laugh above him. He blinked, looking up at the Espada. Why did he think that was funny?

"Ah Shunsui, you are very strange like this… mm. No, I do not expect you to trust me, but you have very little choice but to do what I say. He will defend me to the death, right now, and follow me anywhere. If you want him back, follow my instructions." Starrk said and Shunsui was a bit reassured by his firm tone. He was taking care of his disrespectful fukutaichou. Although, what did he mean by have him back? It didn't really matter, though. He existed to serve Aizen and his Espada.

"Very well." Her voice was stiff and Shunsui felt her go. He kept his attention on the man in front of him. For a while, he just enjoyed the feel of that gloved hand gently stroking his hair. It was so pleasant, being this close to him.

"I wish to apologize." The Espada said and Shunsui looked up at him curiously. There was a great weight of sorrow in his face. "For taking so long. I really had no idea this could have happened… I still wonder how it did." There was a pause and Shunsui could sense Starrk silently thinking. "…Tell me. How many others fell to Aizen's blade?"

"…Counting the Vizard? I think…" Shunsui had to think carefully about it, tallying them up in his mind. "Ten?" He was fairly sure. Starrk made a small, thoughtful sound.

"Leave out the Vizard and anyone of less than taichou rank. How many taichou did he defeat, using his sword? No other method." That was easier and Shunsui answered immediately.

"Three." Komamura didn't really count. His wounds had been a transferal from his bankai. "Myself, Hitsugaya and Soi-Fon."

"I see… I remember Hitsugaya. He's the taichou who fought Halibel, correct? And Soi-Fon defeated Barragan but only with considerable help." Starrk stroked his hair again and Shunsui half-closed his eyes in pleasure. He loved that touch and Starrk seemed to know it. "Of those three you would be the strongest. Correct?"

"Yes." He murmured, daring to rest his cheek against Starrk's hakama. The Espada didn't seem to mind. "I will be a very valuable asset to you, Espada-san." He heard the man sigh.

"I'm sure you would. It's a pity I can't take you… but despite that parasite, you still need to eat shinigami food. There are stores in Los Noches but not enough for any length of time. Hopefully, it won't be necessary." Starrk sounded troubled. Shunsui nodded although he did not want to be separated from the Espada. Although, if it was his will, he would do it. "Ah." Shunsui lifted his head as he felt the same thing Starrk had… Nanao was back, with Unohana Retsu. He sensed no one else. Very soon they were both in the clearing.

"Can you please explain what has happened to Kyoraku taichou, Espada-san?" Unohana asked pleasantly, the blood and gore not bothering her at all. Starrk answered as Shunsui glanced over his shoulder at her, resting a hand on the hilt of one of his swords. She was very dangerous, a potential threat to his master.

"A mental parasite. I don't know exactly how it works – it is most definitely not my area of expertise – but I know it is based on hollow energies and fused with his spine and brain." Starrk said and Shunsui listened, feeling vaguely curious. "It shouldn't have been able to sustain itself without the power of the Hogyoku. I believe it only managed to stay active and entrench itself because of the sheer strength of his reiatsu. Now that it's active, though, it needs to feed. The energy I gave him should sustain it long enough for you to find a way to remove it. If you allow it to starve to death, it will devour him in an effort to survive."

"I see. Can you give him to me, please?" She asked and Shunsui frowned at that. Then Starrk gripped his chin, tilting his head so he was meeting the Espada's eyes.

"Shunsui, I want you to go with her. Follow any command she gives you, do anything she wants. Do you understand?" Starrk said and Shunsui wanted to resist. It wasn't right, that they would be parted this way. "It is Aizen's will." He said and that quieted the nascent spark of rebellion. If it was what Aizen wanted then of course he had to do it.

"I understand." He acquiesced and moved as Starrk gently tugged him to his feet. Shunsui turned, looking at Unohana and Nanao. They were both looking at him and he saw Nanao still had her zanpakuto out. That didn't bother him a bit. She was no real threat to him and Starrk, unlike Unohana. But she didn't have her zanpakuto out, which was reassuring. He smiled at her charmingly. "Shall we, Retsu?" She smiled back.

"Of course. Follow me, Shunsui." She said and he followed her, completely calm and happy.

If this was what Coyote Starrk wanted, he would do it with a glad heart.

* * *

Shunsui woke up slowly, feeling very strange.

His head hurt and his mouth was terribly dry. As he tried to sit up, he groaned in pain, falling back. There was a searing pain going up and down his spine, which was only obvious when he moved.

"Sweet kami, what happened?" He murmured, trying to remember. Everything in his mind was hazy but he remembered… Katen Kyokotsu. She had been trying to speak to him. Suddenly gripped by fear, he reached out to her.

_Shunsui?_ The voice of his zanpakuto made him sag in relief. He could hear her, really hear her. _Can you remember?_ She sounded afraid. For him? That was not like Katen Kyokotsu at all. Shunsui blinked, trying to remember. What had happened to him?

"I… remember…" The images began bubbling up from the back of his mind and Shunsui's eyes went wide as he _remembered._ Then he surged up from bed, ignoring the pain as he lunged for the toilet.

He vomited violently, vaguely aware of someone's voice raised in alarm. He threw up until his belly was sore and he was bringing up nothing but bile and saliva. An arm went around his shoulders then, and began to gently pull him away. A very familiar voice murmured a soothing kido in his ear and Shunsui shuddered as his body began to calm, despite himself.

"Come back to bed, Shunsui." Unohana's voice was as soothing as her kido. But even with the influence of the kido on his body and mind, he couldn't stop shaking.

"I… I ate…" The horror of it was overwhelming. Did she not know what he had done? The hand on his shoulder gently squeezed him.

"We found the bodies, Shunsui. We know what happened. It was not your fault. Please, come back to bed. This is not good for you." She said in a gentle tone. He swallowed heavily before nodding. Then he remembered something else and blinked.

"Starrk… he saved me. He stopped me from killing Nanao." He whispered, remembering. "Why?" Why had the Espada helped him? Why had he apologized for not arriving sooner? He'd had no reason to do it at all, that Shunsui could see. Then he was being eased back into the bed and Unohana offered him some pills along with a cup of water. That reminded him of his thirst and he quickly popped the pills into his mouth before draining the cup. No doubt the medication was for the pain.

"I don't know. We searched for the Espada after we retrieved you, but he was nowhere to be found." Retsu said and Shunsui was almost glad. Despite what the Espada had done for him, his fate in Soul Society would be very uncertain. He was the strongest Espada, after all. "We believe he has returned to Hueco Mundo."

"I see. I owe him so much." If he had killed and eaten Nanao, Shunsui knew he would never have been able to forgive himself. He wasn't sure he could forgive himself for the deaths of the cadets, but he thought he would in time. Nanao… would have shattered his soul. A hand rested on his shoulder, giving him a comforting squeeze and he looked up to see Unohana smiling at him sympathetically.

"Rest, Shunsui. Let your body and mind recover." She said and he nodded, closing his eyes. He could feel the need for rest, the damage that had been done to his body. But at least his soul was intact. He would come through this, eventually. It would not be quick or easy, but he would do recover.

_Thank you, Coyote Starrk._


	36. AU - Angel

Shunsui looked at the doll in his hands and smiled to himself as he marveled at the perfection of it.

It was not actually a doll, of course. No, it was a miniature robot complete with a powerful AI. It was perfectly human looking and Shunsui gazed into the tiny, serene face of a young man. His shoulder length hair was dark chestnut and he had a scraggly little beard on his chin. His eyes were closed at the moment but when they opened they were a steely grey with just the faintest sheen of blue.

"Coyote Starrk." Shunsui murmured the name of his avatar. This was his toy, his tool, his partner. The little robot was meant for a battle game, Dueling Angels. He was in fact the oldest such toy to exist. All the others from Starrk's generation had been retired or destroyed, but not this one. Somehow, Starrk only seemed to get better with age. His reflexes were so sharp that other teams lived in dread of his gun. And Shunsui's connection with the AI was full and deep.

Yet, despite that, Shunsui had never heard his partner speak. Other people heard their robots' voices, he knew. The AI's they possessed were very powerful and more than capable of speech. Yet, Starrk never spoke. Shunsui often spoke to him but never once had he received a reply. He sometimes wondered if it was because of Starrk's generation. The very first robots had often been defective, in various ways. Perhaps his was mute.

Putting aside that thought, he gently put Starrk into the charging field. The little robot immediately became alive, looking up at him with solemn grey eyes. Shunsui smiled at the serious look on his face. It was all just a game, but Starrk never acted that way. No, he treated each battle as if it was life and death. Perhaps that was why he was so good at it.

Putting on the headset, Shunsui merged his mind with the doll's. Across from them, their opponent set down his robot and they both prepared, lifting their weapons. To Shunsui it felt incredibly real. He was part of Starrk, guiding the AI's actions and lending him strategic insights. The doll could fight without him, but not as well. They were designed to fight with human guidance, not independently.

The battle that followed was hard and fast. They were fighting against a brand new doll… it was unusual, twin children. Shunsui wasn't sure how his opponent could control it. But he'd never been interested in any robot but Starrk.

As the battle went on, Shunsui was vaguely aware of a strange feeling from his body. A sensation of pressure? But it was meaningless. All that mattered was the hard fight he was experiencing. Starrk's guns blazed with practiced skill as they –

_Shunsui._ Their performance suddenly faltered as he felt shock. That voice… who was it? It was deep and concerned. _You are not well._

_Starrk?_ He thought, shocked beyond words. His AI was speaking to him? They had been partners for so long and he'd never heard a thing.

_Abort this match._ Starrk's voice was commanding but Shunsui ignored him, helping the robot dodge an attack. They were too deeply committed. If he aborted in the middle the robot could be badly damaged. _You are having a heart attack. Abort immediately._

_No!_ A heart attack? That was absurd. He was too young for that. He briefly felt his AI's frustration, followed by calm resolution.

_Emergency abort. _Shunsui cried out as his connection to his doll was abruptly severed. Then the crushing pain suddenly hit him and he gasped, grasping his chest as he bent over. A heart attack…? But he was a young man. There were cries of surprise among the watchers as Starrk suddenly went down, hit twice, no, three times by his opponents lightning attack. Shunsui tried to reach for him but then the pain overwhelmed him. He was aware of more cries as he collapsed, the concerned face of his white haired opponent bending over him…

Then, darkness.

* * *

Shunsui woke up to the sound of quiet beeping.

For a moment he was confused, uncertain about what had happened. Then he remembered. The match, hearing Starrk's voice, the pain… the tried to look up but there was a mask over his face. What had happened? He was only thirty! How could he have…?

"Shunsui?" That was his girlfriend, Nanao. He relaxed at the sound of her voice before suddenly tensing again. Starrk. What had happened to Starrk? "Are you awake?"

"Yes…" He managed to say, turning his head to look at her. "Starrk. Where…?" The little AI had saved his life. What had happened to his doll? He must have been badly damaged. There was a soft sob from Nanao and he blinked as she suddenly hugged him.

"Worrying about a toy at a time like this? Shunsui…" She said and he would have protested but she was smiling at him, her face full of joy. "I'm so glad you're awake. The doctors say you'll be fine."

"What happened?" That redirected his mind to himself. What had happened to him? Nanao gently petted back a bit of stray hair before she explained.

"It was a heart defect. You must have had it since you were a baby." She said and he blinked. "Somehow, it wasn't picked up. They had to operate but they say you'll be fine now. Everything went very well. It will take a while for you to recover, though."

"Hn… and Starrk?" He needed to know about his AI. "He saved my life." He said and Nanao blinked, reaching up to adjust her glasses. "I heard him. He forced me to abort." He wouldn't have done it on his own.

"Oh. That's what happened?" Her eyes shaded with sympathy as she reached down, picking up a box? Shunsui swallowed hard as she tilted it so he could see what lay within.

"Oh Starrk." He whispered. His poor little robot was in pieces. His head was separated from his body, his left arm was shattered and there was damage to his torso. Could he be rebuilt? Shunsui had gotten him fixed many, many times, but the damage had never been this severe.

"I'm sorry." Nanao said softly. "We gathered up all the pieces we could." She said and he nodded, swallowing as he reached up to take the box. It would cost a small fortune to fix this, if it could even be done, but he would pay for it. Anything for the brave little robot that had saved his life.

"I'll get him fixed. Whatever it takes." He wasn't rich but it didn't matter, not for this. Nanao nodded although there was a flash of concern in her eyes. Thinking about the cost, no doubt. Shunsui looked at the broken little doll and still didn't care.

He needed Starrk back in his life.

* * *

"They can't fix him." Shunsui whispered, looking at the doll in his hands. Grey eyes were closed but he could imagine the solemn look the robot would be giving him.

Starrk's head had been reattached. His arm had been mended. But the damage to his torso was very bad. That was where the most delicate part, the AI of the toy, was kept. It was the largest portion of the robot and also the best protected. For a toy like this, the heads' place was to hold the sensors, the eyes and ears. The main body held the brain.

And for Starrk, that was what had taken damage. Normally that could be fixed but everyone he'd brought the toy to had simply thrown up their hands and told him to get a new one. Apparently, Starrk's neural net was absurdly intricate. One man had told him that he'd never seen anything like it in his life.

Shunsui wasn't giving up, though. He had one last appointment, one person who might be able to fix Starrk. He'd had to flirt mercilessly with the gatekeeper, a woman named Yoruichi, to arrange the meeting with the original inventor of the Dueling Angels.

And that meant he couldn't be late. Taking a deep breath, he carefully put the doll into the padded case he'd bought for him. Starrk deserved the best. Soon he was on the road, the robot on the seat beside him. Hopefully, Urahara Kisuke would be able to fix his broken toy.

"Well, well! So you're the man who so badly wanted to see me about a broken Angel." The man said lightly as Shunsui settled down on the cushions across from him. The old name made him smile a little. It had been a long, long time since the robots had been referred to as Angels. Most just called them avatars, robots, dolls or toys, not Angels.

"Yes. I have him right here, if you want to see." He said, picking up the case. Kisuke shook his head, taking a sip of his tea.

"Not just yet. Why would you bring him to me? There are many people specializing in robot repair, even micro ones." He sounded a touch curious. Shunsui looked down at the case, feeling a deep pain in his chest.

"He's first generation." He said quietly and saw Urahara tip his hat back, his eyes a bit surprised. "One of your personal designs. Everyone I've taken him to says he's too complex." That was something he didn't really understand. How could robots have decreased in complexity from nine years ago? But everyone said Urahara had been a genius and many of the first generation had been one-off, highly individual designs.

"Really? Too complex?" There was an undercurrent of concern in the other man's voice. "Can I see?" He asked and Shunsui nodded, opening the case and passing it over to Kisuke. He took the case, gazing at the toy inside it for a long moment. "Oh… my. I never thought I would see this again." He whispered, a finger gently flicking soft brown hair. Then he blinked, looking up. "Can I buy this?"

"What?" Shunsui said, startled by the request. "No. He's not for sale." He said firmly. He was not going to sell Starrk. Kisuke frowned at him, his hands closing on the case in a way that seemed possessive.

"This was stolen. It was never meant to be sold. I'm afraid I must insist." He said but Shunsui's eyes narrowed. He was not a young man and Nanao was a lawyer.

"I've had him for nine years. The statute of limitations for stolen property is seven. He's mine and you can't possibly take him from me." He said firmly. "My fiancée is a lawyer." He added, although Nanao hadn't quite agreed to be his fiancée. He was still trying to figure out how to pop the question. Urahara looked at the toy in his hands with a frown, gently running a finger over the damaged body.

"He took damage to his neural net?" He asked quietly and Shunsui nodded. "Then it may not matter. Hm…" Kisuke considered him thoughtfully for a moment. "How could a broken doll mean so much to you?" He asked and Shunsui swallowed as he remembered.

"He saved my life. It was the first time he ever spoke to me…" He explained about the heart attack during the middle of a bout. Urahara's eyes widened at the information. "I owe him my life. I know he's just an AI, a piece of circuitry but… I owe him my life."

"Ah, I see." Urahara seemed deeply saddened and gently placed the case on the table. The robot inside had his eyes closed, for all the world as if he was sleeping. "I suppose I must tell you. You're right that the statute of limitations has passed, but keeping him in this state would be very cruel. You see, this is not an AI at all. It's a transferal."

"What?" Shunsui breathed. Transferals, the copying of the higher brain functions of a human to a robot, was illegal. Mostly because of insanity… most of the early attempts had resulted in dangerous instabilities. Research was still being done but overall, it was thought that full transferal would never be feasible. And… "How can that be? He's so small!" How could a doll contain enough information? Urahara sighed, looking down at the little robot.

"Yes, I know. At the time, he was the absolute cutting edge of nano technology. Incredibly miniaturized… this kind of neural net would literally cost millions, even now." He said sadly and Shunsui swallowed. "Damage to anything else would be possible to fix, but his neural net… I'm not sure even I can do it." He gently touched the toy, examining his chest thoughtfully. "I suppose I can tell you the story. It was declassified two years ago."

"Once, there was a mercenary. The only name we knew him by was Silence." Kisuke said gravely. "He took that name because it suited his personality. He was an incredibly taciturn man. You said that he only spoke to you once?" Shunsui nodded. "That would be typical of him. He never wasted his words." Urahara said with a small smile. "He would take contracts from anyone but mostly, he worked for a man named Aizen Sosuke." He said and Shunsui swallowed. He did know that name… from news reports. "Silence was not a violent man. He preferred tasks that did not involve bloodshed and when he was forced to kill, he did so as mercifully as possible."

"However, we needed help to bring Aizen down. And Silence was vulnerable." Kisuke looked at the toy sadly. "We enlisted him as a double agent. Although we gave him no choice in the matter… he had a sister, you see." He said and Shunsui winced. "He'd managed to keep his employers, including Aizen, ignorant of her existence. We stumbled over her purely by accident and we were not above using the information. Even now, I would not apologize for that… we did what we had to do. But it cost Silence dearly. I'll spare you the details, but he ended up in a coma." Urahara said before taking a sip of his tea.

"And someone transferred him to this robot?" Shunsui asked as Kisuke just looked at the doll. He blinked, looking up.

"Yes. I argued against it but I was overruled… Silence knew so much, you see. Not just about Aizen. He was a mercenary and worked for many, many different individuals and regimes. He could have given us an amazing amount of information." Urahara said before smiling. This time it was a very amused smile. "What no one seemed to think of was how we would question him. After the transferal, he never said a single word." He gazed down at the robot thoughtfully. "He wouldn't even move. Trying to read his neural net, get the information that way, proved to be impossible. He would only generate static. We thought perhaps the transferal had failed, but our tests indicated it was successful… he simply wouldn't speak." Kisuke explained and Shunsui nodded, remembering the nine years he'd owned the toy. Not one word until their last battle. "It was very much like him. But I was absolutely sure he'd been destroyed. How did you get him?"

"I, er…" Shunsui blushed, rubbing the back of his neck as he remembered. "I had a savings bond that matured and I was desperate to be the first person in my school to own an Angel. They were so hot then… I, ah, bribed a boy with red hair to get one of the first." He said and from the look on Kisuke's face, he knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Jinta! That idiot… how much did he charge you?" Urahara asked and Shunsui winced a little.

"Five thousand dollars." He admitted. His parents had been ready to skin him when they found out. That had been enough money to pay for an entire year of college. All for an Angel that would have been a thousand at the most, if he'd been prepared to wait. Although given that he'd never replaced Starrk at all, he'd likely gotten his money's worth. Kisuke shook his head, then laughed softly.

"You got a tremendous deal, you know. A millions dollars worth of electronics is sitting in front of you. All for five thousand dollars!" Urahara said teasingly and Shunsui blinked at the thought. "Although he wouldn't resell well. Hmm." Kisuke gently eased the doll out of his case. "…You realize that the damage may be terminal." He said seriously and Shunsui bit his lip. "Transferals are far more delicate than normal AI's. He may be gone. And besides, it is cruel to keep him this way. He should be destroyed."

"No. Not without talking to him." Shunsui said firmly. "He moved for me. We were partners. I need to speak to him." He couldn't help the catch in his voice. "I need to thank him." Knowing that Starrk was a real person made that need more urgent. The little robot had known exactly what would happen to him, but he'd done it anyway. Kisuke looked at the doll for a long moment, clearly debating. Then he nodded.

"No one will be interested in his information anymore. It would all be extremely dated… so yes, I'll try to help you. But no promises." Urahara cautioned him and Shunsui nodded.

"I understand. Thank you." He knew Starrk might be 'dead'. But there was a chance he might not, too, and Kisuke was clearly the only person who could possibly fix him.

He would take the chance.

* * *

"Moment of truth." Kisuke said lightly as he set the little robot down into the retaining field. Shunsui held his breath, waiting to see what would happen.

His relief was tremendous when Starrk turned, as he had a thousand times before, looking for him. Solemn grey eyes fell on him and Shunsui smiled at his doll. The toy-that-wasn't didn't smile back, but then, he never had. He was as serious as he had been the very first time Shunsui had put him into a retaining field.

Then his expression suddenly changed and Shunsui felt shock as he stared at the doll. Seeing a smile on Starrk's face would have been alien but not unwelcome. Seeing his face twist with rage was wrong beyond words. The voice of his robot suddenly spoke as he pulled out his guns from his holsters. They could do no real damage to the people above them but the gesture was amazingly threatening.

"_You."_ The voice was the same as the one Shunsui had heard in his match. But instead of calm, it held an iron tang of hate. Kisuke tilted his head sadly to the little toy.

"Me. My apologies, mercenary-san. I did argue against your fate." He said and the robot laughed. Shunsui winced at the bitterness in the toy's voice. But instead of speaking he simply turned away. Shunsui watched as that little face smoothed out, those grey eyes looking at him expectantly.

"Starrk, I… don't know your name." He said quietly. Calling him Silence didn't seem right either. The robot just shrugged, saying nothing. "You won't tell me?" Kisuke didn't know his name either. It seemed like the man was utterly nameless.

"_Coyote Starrk is fine."_ The robot said and Shunsui blinked. Why didn't the man want them to know his name? He just looked at Starrk, silently demanding an answer. The toy met his gaze for a long moment before finally shifting uncomfortably. _"…I have no real name. My mother did not give me one."_

"Oh." Shunsui quickly decided he didn't want to know any more about Starrk's history, even if the man was willing to share it, which he probably wasn't. "Starrk, thank you. You saved my life." He said sincerely. The robot just nodded, clearly not wanting to talk any further. But then Kisuke spoke.

"I am afraid you really should be decommissioned, Starrk." He said gently and the toy whirled so fast, it was blinding. Shunsui could read the naked hostility in every line of his body.

"_You always think you know what is best for everyone. I hate you."_ Starrk said bitterly as Urahara looked at him sadly. _"You did this to me and now you want to destroy me for what you did to me. You are cruel."_

"That isn't it. It's just that this is no way to live. You know that's true, Silence." He said gently and the toy huffed before speaking again.

"_How is that true? I did hate it at first. I thought, fighting is not a game and I am not a toy. But Shunsui kept leaving me in his retaining field. I heard how much I cost him, heard him fighting with his parents. I felt bad for him. I decided to give him my skill, be his toy, make him feel better about himself."_ Shunsui couldn't help but blush at that.

"Starrk! I don't need you for that." It was almost insulting. His self-worth was not tied up in his toy. The little robot turned to regard him.

"_Not now. Not for a long time. You grew up… but when you bought me, it was different. You must remember."_ Those serious blue-grey eyes stared up at him and Shunsui swallowed as he understood what the doll was saying.

"I… see what you mean." He said quietly, glad that the robot wasn't going into details in front of Kisuke. They both understood what Starrk meant, the problems he'd had with his family. His feeling of isolation, alone even with his parents in the same house. Had he left the toy in the retaining field when he used his video diary? He remembered his mother complaining about how often he left the robot active, using energy and raising the electrical bill. How much had Starrk seen? How much had he heard? "But I'm a man now. I don't need you." He said and was surprised as grey eyes seemed to grow cold and distant, even as his face remained a calm mask. How could Starrk put so much expression in just his eyes? Then the robot turned away from him and Shunsui hesitated. He felt like he'd just said something wrong… he opened his mouth to say something, but then the toy spoke to Kisuke.

"_At least tell me what happened to my sister. Where is my Lilinette?"_ He demanded and Urahara gave the doll a reassuring smile.

"She's fine. Let me show you…" He took out a small tablet and began playing a video. It was of a young woman with green hair and strangely pink eyes. Some kind of genetic manipulation on the part of her parents? The hair could be dyed, but not the eyes. Starrk watched, silent, as she talked about how her University classes were going. "She has a full scholarship, paid for by the state. I've been taking care of her." Kisuke said to the silent doll after the video had finished. The robot just stared at the blank screen, nothing showing on his face. But Shunsui could almost feel his emotions. Then the toy blinked and shook himself, looking up at Urahara.

"_I am ready to be decommissioned."_ The robot said quietly and Shunsui's mouth fell open.

"What? No!" He reached into the field, making the little toy jump in surprise and try to pull away from him. Starrk looked up at him, little face almost comically confused. "Why would you…? Starrk…" Although it wasn't much of a life for a person. Yet, Starrk had been upset when Kisuke had said that to him. Why had he suddenly changed his mind?

"_You said… you no longer need me. I do not understand."_ Starrk sounded bewildered. They both looked over as Urahara suddenly laughed.

"You know, Silence, not everyone is like Aizen." Kisuke's smile at the robot was amused but also a touch sad. "Just because he doesn't need you, doesn't mean that Shunsui doesn't want you." He said and Shunsui stared down at the toy in his hand, who stared back. Had Starrk thought he _wanted_ the other to die?

"Starrk, if you want to stay with me I would love to have you." He said softly. The robot looked at him searchingly for a long moment before nodding.

"_If you want me, I want to stay."_ He said quietly. Then he smiled. Shunsui stared, his breath taken away by how beautiful that made his little robot. _"But, Shunsui? Please don't leave me in the retaining field in your bedroom when you make love to Nanao."_ He said seriously and Shunsui choked. _"It is not right."_

"Y-You…! Why didn't you say anything earlier?" He demanded and the toy shrugged.

"_No normal Angel would care about that. That is part of why I never spoke to you. I am not a robot and I cannot pretend to be."_ He sounded sad and Shunsui nodded. He'd never heard Starrk before, but he'd heard other robots. His little doll was clearly nothing like them. They were one-dimensional, often amusing but clearly artificial. Starrk had more depth.

"You know, Starrk-san, you are talking more than I think you ever have in your life." Kisuke observed and there was a dry chuckle from the robot.

"_Nine years is a long time, even for me. I have been saving up."_ He said and they all laughed. _"And since I am talking… I have an idea for how you could propose to Nanao, if you wish to hear."_ Starrk said and Shunsui smiled, looking at the doll attentively.

"Really? What's your idea?" He asked and listened as Coyote Starrk told him. It was… shockingly good. "She would love that." It would involve a special trip to Tokyo for a book signing, but it would be perfect. Why hadn't he thought of it? "Thank you, Starrk."

"_It was nothing. I like to see you happy."_ The quiet sincerity in the little toy's voice made him smile. Shunsui gently lifted him up, removing him from the retaining field. Without power, the robots eyes closed. Shunsui wondered what it felt like, to him. Was it like sleeping?

Perhaps someday soon, he would ask.

* * *

"Why did you put your toy in the retaining field?" Nanao asked, a bit annoyed. "You know that costs money." She said. Shunsui smiled, looking down at Starrk. He was gazing up with the faintest smile on his little face.

"I just want him to see." He said lightly and Nanao made a face. He hadn't enlightened her about Starrk's status as a real person, not yet at least. He would have to tell her but he would save it for later. "When I was in Tokyo I got you something special… would you like to see?"

"Of course." She said, a touch surprised. He pulled out the book he'd bought her. It was by one of her favorite authors and she already had a copy, but this one was rather more special. "Shunsui? I already have this." She said with a small frown and he chuckled softly.

"But not signed by the author. Look." Her face brightened as she opened the cover and looked at the dedication. Then her breath caught in a strangled gasp. Shunsui smiled. He knew what she was reading.

_Dear, sweet Nanao. Will you marry your beloved Shunsui?_

_-Fukima Mai_

Beneath the words was taped an engagement ring. She put a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob, and he saw the tears in her eyes just before she hugged him.

"Yes. I'll marry you." She whispered and he hugged her back, feeling so happy his heart might almost explode. And nearby, his little doll watched, smiling happily.

Maybe Starrk was an Angel.


	37. Parasite - Part 2

It was the cat that got Starrk in trouble.

Starrk loved the little cat. She came to sleep with him every day. It was a constant in his life. Wake up, look around, see a sleeping cat. Often she would wake him with a soft paw, patting his face and asking him for petting and love.

When she vanished for one day, he wasn't too concerned. Perhaps she'd found something that interested her. The second day, though, he became quite worried. That wasn't right. What had happened to his cat?

The concerned Espada dithered for a while. She was just a cat. Was he really going to risk himself for a small animal? But she was the only thing he had, the only company in his enforced solitude. Trying to dampen his reiatsu as much as possible, he finally abandoned the Vizard's old hideaway to look for his cat.

It wasn't as hard as it might have been. His cat had the slightest trace of his reiatsu on her, from all the time they had spent together. Not enough for a shinigami to detect her, but Starrk knew his own signature intimately. And it was very similar to searching for Lilinette when she didn't want to be found.

He found his cat in a very strange place. There were cages? Each one containing an animal. Starrk searched among them, wondering why the humans were imprisoning the little beasts this way. For a moment he considered freeing them all before deciding against it. He didn't know why the humans were doing this, but presumably there was a reason. And he couldn't take care of all the dogs and cats. He just wanted his own cat back.

Finally, he found her. Starrk was pleased to see that she was well fed, well treated and very glad to see him. She meowed loudly as she saw him, reaching through the bars of her cage to touch him with a soft paw. He smiled at her and broke the lock on her cage with a simple flick of his wrist, releasing her from her prison. Then he gathered her up into his arms, carrying her off. He needed to get her home before someone detected him.

Starrk really thought he'd done it. He got back to the hideout and settled in on the cushions for a snooze. But it seemed he could be surprised, if someone was working very, very hard at it.

"Well well well! So this's where you've been hidin'." Starrk stiffened as his cat hissed. She huddled on his cushion, her fur bushed up with hostility. Starrk sat bolt upright, wondering why he couldn't sense anything even now. Then he winced as he saw the rotund Vizard, the one who had helped Soi Fon defeat Barragan. He'd caught a few glimpses and knew the man specialized in kido. Somehow, he'd concealed the others. The one speaking was the Vizard with the unsettling grin.

"You better not have messed up my stuff, arrancar!" That was the girl with the pigtails. With the two of them was the man with the silver hair and the girl with the green hair. Starrk swallowed as he stood. He was very badly outnumbered and still recovering from his injuries. The Vizard, in contrast, were in the best of health. They'd had the benefit of healing kido to speed their recovery, unlike the Espada.

"It's been how long? You didn't seem to be coming back for it." Starrk retorted as she scowled at him. "And I can't imagine I'm wearing your clothing." He was wearing someone's clothing. The Espada uniform had been boring him and there had been plenty of clothes to pick from, so he'd taken the ones that fit.

"That belonged to Rose, I think. Possibly Love." The silver haired man said and Starrk remembered the two Vizard he'd fought.

"Good. I hope it irritates them." He could be grouchy sometimes, although it was rare. But he still felt a bit angry at those two, particularly the one with the starfish hair. Taunting him about Barragan's passing had just been cruel. "Forgive me, but if you want this place back I should go." He really wasn't interested in fighting over it. He would miss his cat but she was a cat. She'd get by without him. Would he get by without her, though? He'd find a way.

"Nah, I don't think you should go so soon Starrk. It was Starrk, right?" The man with the teeth said pleasantly and Starrk just stared at him. "Kyoraku wants to thank you. Maybe you should come with us to Soul Society so he can do that properly, hey?"

"I can accept the sentiment from here." He said warily, dropping his hand to his sword. The Vizard fanned out and Starrk swallowed. He didn't think they were going to let him decline their 'invitation'.

"I'm sorry, but you must come with us. You are too powerful to remain free. You have earned some goodwill for Kyoraku taichou's rescue. Do not waste it, Espada." The silver haired man said but Starrk shook his head, drawing his sword.

"I can't." He simply couldn't trust them. Would they put him in a cage? Experiment on him? Starrk knew what Szayel would have done with a shinigami prisoner, what he HAD done. He expected nothing better from the shinigami. Tosen's bitter comments on the subject would have enlightened him, if he hadn't already known. He drew his sword as they drew theirs.

After that, things quickly got nasty. Starrk really hadn't expected anything else… he was too badly hurt, too badly outnumbered. But at least he could make them kill him. He concentrated on that, attacking wildly, hardly bothering with defense. Strangely, the Vizard were reluctant to take the openings he was giving them… well, most of them.

"HRRAGH!" The girl with pig tails pulled down her mask and charged up a cero. Starrk wasn't going to dodge, not really. He was paying attention to the silver haired one and simply didn't care if he lived or died. And his opponents seemed to sense that.

"Hiyori, no!" The leader of the group shoved her, disrupting her aim. Starrk wasn't planning on what happened next. Certainly, he wasn't trying to defend himself but he wasn't actively trying to commit suicide, either. But he happened to look in just the right direction to see what the cero would hit if he did nothing.

"NO!" He scooped up the terrified cat and enfolded her in a shield of blue reiatsu… just in time for the cero to hit him full in the back. It sent him crashing through a nearby wall and Starrk heard a terrified, feline squall, felt the blood suddenly flowing down his chest as half-healed wounds reopened. The pain was excruciating but he just held onto that ball of blue energy, stubbornly clinging to the one thing that still mattered to him. He was vaguely aware of cries behind him as everything grew distant.

Still holding tight to his protective shield, Starrk passed out.

* * *

_Starrk?_ The voice was familiar. In his mind, it was associated with… pink. Starrk wrinkled his nose, feeling like he was floating on a cloud. _Starrk? Are you awake?_

"No. I am asleep." He said dreamily and heard that voice laugh. "It feels good. Don't wake me."

_I won't then._ Starrk vaguely felt the bed shift, but didn't really care. He was asleep and enjoying it. _Hm… tell me. Why did you save Nanao from me? Why did you get involved at all?_

"…I hate seeing people die. And it was all so pointless. That stupid parasite… do you know what it would have done, if you had managed to feed it?" Starrk said and vaguely heard a questioning murmur. "It would have just wandered around, mildly confused and looking for an Espada or Aizen. Until it got hungry again… then you would have attacked anyone with spiritual energy in Karakura town. So useless… it really wasn't very bright." It hadn't even been smart enough to realize Aizen was imprisoned. The limit of its' planning ability had centred around feeding itself. "Yet it had all of your power and skill. So many deaths for nothing… I had to do something. I hate death."

_That seems strange for a hollow._ The voice observed and Starrk sighed, still cushioned in warm lassitude. This was an odd dream, but he was willing to go with it.

"Yes, for most it would be, but not for me. So much death surrounded me… endless death, everywhere I could see. And nothing but me and the voices inside my head for company." Starrk said dreamily and hardly heard the next question. But it did reach him, vague and distant.

_Voices? Most of us only hear voices when we're going insane, Espada-san._ The voice sounded amused yet also concerned. Starrk chuckled softly, still in the grip of his dream.

"I only wish I had been insane… no, they were the voices of the newly dead. The souls I had absorbed in spite of myself… they screamed and cried, begged and raged at me. Some pleaded for me to save them, but I couldn't. I digested them and they were gone, but there were always more. More voices to scream at me in pain at their dissolution…" Starrk whispered, remembering the agony of it. "I hate death as much as I hate being alone. Hmm… you know, maybe I did go insane. I split my soul, made Lilinette. Was that crazy? Just me and myself, our thoughts bouncing off each other as we sat in the sand…" They had never discussed it. There had been no need to discuss it, because they both knew… they knew they were just halves of a whole and that made them poor company for each other. It was still better than nothing, but not by much.

_Sweet kami._ That voice sounded stunned. Starrk wondered why. This was just a dream, wasn't it? But then, it was probably his imagination. Of course a shinigami would be surprised by his revelations. _If you were so alone, why didn't you take me with you?_

"Where? Hueco Mundo? What would I have fed you? The parasite needed to feed on souls but your body needs shinigami food." That was a huge issue with that idea. And… "Take you to join me in my solitude? You have that white haired man… your fukutaichou, Nanao…? You must have a family. It would not have been right." Such bittersweet pain at the thought. How he would have welcomed a companion, a true companion, but not like that. Never like that. "No… loneliness is my cross to bear, and I will bear it. Even in Los Noches, I was alone. They were all afraid of me. Except Aizen, but I always knew he wasn't real." Starrk said drowsily.

_Not real?_

"No… lies on top of lies, a mask for this one, another mask for that one… but he underestimated Lilinette. He forgot that she is me, that we were one hollow… she could let me see her memories, and she did. Everything she knew, I knew." Starrk murmured, remembering. "Although I suppose it wasn't really his fault. I never enlightened him about how much we were one. Just me, myself and I… but she saw him playing his games and I understood. Everything about him was fakery, from his smile to his zanpakuto."

_Yet, you still followed him?_ The voice said questioningly and Starrk sighed to himself. This was starting to feel real, but he was unwilling to abandon his comfortable warmth for the coldness of reality.

"What else was there to do? And he gave me what he promised. He taught me to control my power and used the Hogyoku to dampen me… he found strong hollows who could survive my power, gave me comrades. I wish he could have given me friends, but that was not up to him." The thought pained him, but it was the truth. Aizen could not dictate the actions of his Espada. "Just being able to talk to someone who wasn't me… it was worth it." The pain, the betrayal…. All still worth it, just for that. Scrunching his nose, Starrk smelled something… strange. Fishy? Unwillingly, he groaned, shifting. That slight movement brought him pain and his eyes finally opened. He blinked slowly, realizing that he was in a hospital bed? "Where am I?" He was awake. This was not a dream. And the fishy odor was coming from the man across from him? It was the taichou in pink, Kyoraku Shunsui, and he was holding a bento box with a mildly guilty expression. "What in hell are you eating? It smells nasty." Starrk grumbled and Shunsui smiled at him.

"Just some salmon roe sushi. Would you like a piece?" He offered innocently but Starrk could recognize a distraction when he saw one. He glowered at the shinigami across from him.

"Were you questioning me while I was half-conscious?" He asked and the guilt became more pronounced. "You were, weren't you."

"It was most enlightening, Starrk-san." Shunsui said sincerely and Starrk sighed, reaching up to rub his face. As he did, he noticed his gloves were missing. Along with the clothes he'd stolen from the Visored, replaced with some kind of gown? Something that was clearly meant to facilitate access to his wounds. Reaching down, he pulled back the gown and grimaced slightly at the sight. It wasn't pretty.

"I'm surprised I'm still alive." That errant cero had completely reopened his half-healed wounds. The cero… Starrk suddenly stiffened. "My cat!"

"Er… she's fine, Starrk-san." Shunsui sounded mildly pained and Starrk blinked at him. "Much better off than you are, or anyone who's tried to handle her. How did you find such a vicious little creature?"

"Eh?" That surprised him. "She's not vicious. She's adorable." He protested and Kyoraku lifted his eyebrows. "Can you bring her to me? She must be afraid." Maybe that was why she was acting out. The shinigami looked rather dubious but set aside his food to fetch the cat.

He brought her in inside a carrier. She was hissing like an angry teakettle, but that turned into a very loud mew as she saw him. Shunsui settled the carrier onto the bed beside him and Starrk smiled, sticking a finger into the cage. Soft paws patted him and she licked his finger, showing her affection in the usual way. Starrk freed his finger and used it to gently scratch her head, smiling as she began to purr.

"See? Adorable." He said and the shinigami laughed.

"Only to you! I wouldn't believe it if I weren't seeing it." He marveled and Starrk just shrugged, looking the carrier over. It wasn't locked and it was the work of a moment to figure out the door. He popped it open and let out his cat, smiling as she rubbed against him lovingly. "What's her name?"

"Hm? I don't know. She hasn't told me." He said truthfully and the other man smiled at him as he picked up his bento box again. The cat was turning around and kneading his blankets, all the signs of a feline looking for a place to sleep.

"You know, Espada-san, she can't talk. If you want her to have a name you have to give her one." He said gravely, but there was amusement in his tone. Starrk quirked an eyebrow at him before glancing over the cat. "And soon, or she'll be named 'evil witch.'" That sounded like a bit of self-censoring, to the Espada.

"Mmm." Starrk vaguely knew the man was right. He wasn't an idiot, he knew the cat couldn't speak. Still, he'd been oddly reluctant to name her. But perhaps now was the time. "She'll be… Sweetpea. My darling little Sweetpea." He said, wondering where that name had come from. Who knew? Smiling, he reached down to pet her and blinked as he felt something on his neck. A necklace? Glancing down, he saw the black metal of a restraining collar. Not a surprise although not welcome. "What do you intend to do with me, Taichou-san?" He asked quietly, lifting his gaze to the man across from him.

"Well, first I want to thank you for saving Nanao from me." Kyoraku said seriously and Starrk nodded, eyes darkening as he remembered. "And most of the cadets. We would have lost them all, if you hadn't intervened." Starrk winced as he remembered the deaths. But Shunsui was right, if he had done nothing the parasite would have devoured them all. As it was, they had only lost perhaps a quarter of them before he'd stopped it.

"I took too long." He muttered but Shunsui just shook his head with a sad smile. "Gratitude is fleeting, Taichou-san. What do you intend to do with me?" That was the elephant in the room. Starrk wouldn't be the least bit surprised to hear that his execution was scheduled for tomorrow. And there would not be a single thing he could do to avoid it. Perhaps his fatalism showed in his expression because Shunsui frowned, setting down his bento box.

"Please, call me Shunsui. You've earned the right to use my first name, Starrk." He said seriously and the Espada blinked. "As for what we'll do with you… that depends a bit on you." Shunsui reached over to hook a finger under the retaining collar, forcing him to look up, their eyes to meet. Starrk was suddenly reminded of how he'd handled the taichou, when he was under the influence of the parasite. It felt more intimate, though. Almost uncomfortably so… Starrk swallowed, feeling that finger against his skin as he looked into those grey eyes. "You know, you don't have to be alone anymore." Shunsui said softly and Starrk felt almost hypnotized. Long forgotten desires welled up, from the back of his mind, and he was all too aware of how close the other man was. Would the shinigami be disgusted if he knew – "YEOW!" The moment shattered like glass and Starrk blinked as Shunsui jerked away, gripping his hand.

"Sweetpea!" He looked at his cat, who was hissing angrily at the man who had invaded her personal space. "Bad cat! Bad!" He admonished her but she just blinked at him, her fur settling into false innocence. "You are going to be a problem." He'd never considered his pet as an impediment to his love life because he had no love life. Of course, he might not have one here, either. Starrk was willing to bet the odds were against it. Sighing, he gently petted his cat, listening to her purr. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's alright. We've gotten used to it." Shunsui said, regarding the claw marks on his hand with a pained expression. Then he reached out to gently grip the Espada's shoulder, carefully avoiding the cat. "Please think about it, Starrk. You're going to be recovering for some time." He said quietly and Starrk nodded, almost speechless. "I need to get to my Division. But if you need anything, let the healers know."

"I will. Thank you." He said, watching the man go with deeply mixed emotions. On one hand, the shinigami had stabbed him in the back and done his level best to kill him. He'd cost Starrk dearly, forced his Lilinette back into his soul collection. And yet… "I don't want to be alone anymore." He whispered, feeling the pain of it. "You don't count." He added to Sweetpea. She didn't care, just purring some more. "Ah… I have to think about it." Starrk wasn't sure what his options really were, yet. Shunsui hadn't really spelled it out. But it sounded like one of them would be remaining. What would the conditions be?

He would have to think very hard about it.


	38. AU - Ghoul Part 3

"Lilinette?" Shunsui asked the little girl as they sat on the edge of the roof. "How long do you think Starrk will be?"

"Probably a few more hours. It ain't quick." She said and he nodded, looking up at the setting sun. Right now they were living a diurnal existence, most active in the evening and early morning. Apparently, that was most natural sleep pattern for a ghoul.

They had settled into a large city on the western edge of the country. That meant they were closer to possible trouble but also meant the authorities had far more pressing things to worry about than a thieving ghoul and his accomplices. From what Starrk had said, and Urahara's comments, Shunsui had the feeling that the ancient ghoul had been ghosting under the radar for a very long time.

Right now, Starrk was stealing them some food. Normally he would have taken Lilinette with him, teaching her the art of harvesting organs without a trace. But he didn't want to bring Shunsui. It had only been a few weeks and he still couldn't use his tentacles on command, which was a great liability for a ghoul. And Starrk was reasonably certain there was at least one more ghoul in the city, possibly two. Ghouls only travelled in small groups and did not welcome interlopers, as well as being able to scent them from long distances. Without Lilinette, Shunsui would be hideously vulnerable.

Shunsui sighed, running a hand along his chin as he glanced at the girl. While it was a bit mortifying to be protected by a child, he had to admit that he was glad to have her there. He'd had a feeling, just once, that he was being stalked. It had vanished when he'd caught up to Starrk but the other ghoul had seemed very unhappy, so he didn't think it was his imagination. That was unsettling.

"Lilinette?" He said and she glanced at him. Her eyes were light pink, an odd color and he wondered if they had changed with her transition to a ghoul. "How did you become a ghoul? If you don't mind me asking." He was quite curious about that. All he knew was that Starrk had not been the one to bite her. She sighed, kicking her feet in the air.

"I don't mind talking about it anymore. It was a while ago, I don't even have nightmares anymore. It started with a trip to the movies…" She related the story as Shunsui listened, her quiet voice painting a vivid picture of the past…

* * *

_She was only a kid, but she was a big enough kid to go to the movies with her friends._

_It was a big city but she lived in the good part of town. The mall was super upscale and only a half-hour away, walking. Sure, it would be late walking back but there was like, no crime at all. And the streets were brightly lit and she knew to run away if a stranger tried to grab her. What could go wrong?_

_Well, she DID try to run away when a stranger tried to grab her. But that didn't do much good when he was grabbing her with bright violet tentacles that she just couldn't outrun. She was crying and trying to scream but then he stuffed one of those things into her mouth and she couldn't make a sound. Just tears running down her face as he lifted her up and looked her over. The look in those horrible eyes… like she was a chocolate bar he was going to eat up._

"_Such a tender little morsel…" He was licking her then, licking her and she was so terrified! He looked almost like a normal guy except for the eyes… black and violet, they were so alien, like something out of X-files. Then he opened his mouth wide and she tried to scream again as he BIT her. It hurt so much! There was blood all over his face and dripping over her and she was terrified but she couldn't get away – he just kept biting her and biting her and she was starting to feel awfully weak and she just knew she was going to die –_

_Then there was a flash of red. She blinked as blood suddenly spilled onto her and it wasn't hers? Then there was a scream and the thing over her was fighting something else? She tried to watch but it was pretty hard, her head was spinning and she felt super weak. There was another guy there? And his eyes were like the first but red instead of violet…_

_Then there was blood and stuff spilling everywhere and she was kind of glad, even though she was sure the red guy was going to kill her. Then he was kneeling down beside her and she blinked as the red and black in his eyes went away. They turned grey and looked human and… sad?_

"_You poor child." He was touching her and it hurt, even though she could tell he was trying to be careful with her. She whimpered, still sure she was going to die. Why wouldn't the monster eat her? "If only I had found him a bit sooner… ah, little one, I will take care of you." He said before muttering something that sounded really strange. His hands suddenly felt warm where he as touching her and it was sort of nice… she drifted off to the sounded of him murmuring in that weird way and oddly, didn't feel afraid._

_She was probably still going to die but he seemed nicer than the other one._

* * *

"…So when I woke up Starrk had to convince me he wasn't going to eat me. That took a while. Then he had to convince me that yes, I was really turning into a flesh eating monster and no, I really couldn't go home to my family." Lilinette concluded and Shunsui winced. Such a terrible thing to happen to a young child. "Starrk was hunting that guy because he was queering everything up for him. He'd been living in that town for about a year and didn't want to move, but that guy suddenly shows up and starts killing people all flashy-like. After he picked me up, though, we definitely had to leave. I haven't seen my family since." Lilinette sounded only a bit regretful. "I wrote them a letter just before we left, but that was it. Starrk said anything more would be dangerous."

"He's right." Shunsui said quietly, feeling a pang in his heart. "I wish I could write a letter to Juushiro." But he knew, better than anyone else, how such things could be traced. Perhaps, if he could get a very good computer with the right encryption software, he could send an e-mail. But that would be tricky as well. Lilinette glanced at him curiously.

"I know how you became a ghoul but I don't know much about you. Do you have a family?" She asked and he shook his head.

"No. I lost them when I was ten and had no relatives who would take me, so I went into a group home." He said honestly and Lilinette frowned. "It wasn't too bad. Juushiro was there as well, it was where we met. I sometimes think he's the only reason I graduated. I know he's the only reason I took the exams to join the Guard… I would never have done it myself, but I was intent on following him. Then I found that I enjoyed it." He smiled as he remembered. "We were both doing so well. Yama-jii noticed us and took us under his wing… I was hopeful for a promotion." All of that was gone, now. Really, the rank had never meant that much to him but the proof that he was good at his job… that had meant a great deal. They were both silent for a moment.

"Sorry." She said quietly and he just shook his head. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't even Starrk's fault, not really. It had just been a stupid accident, that he'd touched the dazed ghoul in exactly the wrong way. "Life just sucks sometimes I guess."

"Mmm. Are we technically alive?" He asked, idly curious. She nodded.

"I asked Starrk about that once. He said we definitely are. We have a heartbeat and we bleed. We're sterile, though, in case you were wondering." He hadn't be wondering about that but it was an interesting bit of information. "And if we're turned as kids we keep growing."

"What?" He said, surprised. She nodded. "But you're nineteen… is the growth rate slowed?" That was the only thing that made sense. She smiled at him, pleased.

"Yeah! I've been keeping track and I'm up by about an inch. Starrk thinks I've grown maybe a year since he got me. He says he's SO not looking forward to twenty years of puberty." She rolled her eyes as Shunsui choked at the thought. "He's not sure if he'll end up tossing me in a wood chipper or drowning himself. I think he's being way pessimistic. It won't be THAT bad, will it?"

"Um…" Shunsui could still remember puberty. All those hormones, the way he couldn't get his mind off girls for more than ten minutes, the awkwardness and general feeling that he didn't fit in his own skin… for twenty years? "I think you might be the one suffering." She had no idea what she was in for. Lilinette just shrugged.

"Guess I'll coast by in blissful ignorance then. And when it happens I'll drive you both nuts." She said with unholy enthusiasm and he winced. Then he wondered how much Starrk would hate him if he abandoned the other ghoul to his fate. Twenty years of puberty? Eeek. "Oh oh! Hey pinky, sniff the wind." Ignoring the nickname… would she ever stop that?... he quickly sniffed. It was far off but he could catch the distinctive odor of Starrk. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on it. Starrk's aroma was very different from Lilinette's. The elder ghoul had a depth, a complexity that the younger lacked. For a moment, he just allowed himself to be captured by the scent. It made him think of a woodland forest, deep and earthy. "He smells nice, don't he? It's because he's so old."

"Um? What do I smell like?" He asked, suddenly wondering. Was this why other ghouls would stalk him but seemed to avoid Starrk and even Lilinette? She grimaced slightly.

"You're… really one note. That's normal though. In even a year you'll be a lot deeper. Right now, though, your scent just screams 'I'm brand new! Eat me!'" She said and he blinked before chuckling. "Other ghouls taste great you know."

"Um? No, I didn't know." That was interesting. There were so many things to learn. Lilinette grinned at him cheekily.

"Yeah! Guess how I found that out!" He quirked an eyebrow at her and she happily explained. "My first meal ever was that bastard who attacked me. I wasn't keen on the whole flesh eating monster thing and it still felt really good!"

"I can see that." Lilinette had a vengeful streak and, well, who wouldn't feel vengeful after that? Then there was a soft whistle and they both looked down.

"Meet me inside." Starrk said and they both abandoned the roof, going down the stairs. They were living in an abandoned factory and they had to be careful. It was not structurally sound, but with their tentacles they rarely had problems. Shunsui concentrated hard and managed to extend a single tendril of neon pink. Pausing, he regarded it for a moment with resignation. Why was he so incredibly pink?

"I smell something good!" Lilinette said cheerfully and Starrk smiled, opening the garbage bag he had with him. Shunsui swallowed hard as he caught the tantalizing scent. It looked like the other ghoul had a fairly good haul of organs, too. The sight of them still made him feel sick but he couldn't deny the needs of his body. For a ghoul, hunger truly was a terrible suffering.

"I had a spot of luck. I was checking a graveyard, just to see, and one of the bodies was not embalmed. I scented the decay and took a chance on it." Starrk sounded pleased and Shunsui wondered why the body hadn't been embalmed. But there were a few religions that did not follow the practice. "Hard work putting all the sod back, but it was buried recently enough that no one will know the difference."

"Nice." Lilinette said approvingly and Shunsui nodded as he took his share of the organs. Was that a brain in there? He decided he was leaving that for Starrk. "So you think we're going to be able to go on like this?" She questioned and Starrk paused, a resigned look passing over his face.

"No. Soon, I will have to hunt." He said quietly and Shunsui winced. As distasteful as he found grave robbing, it was infinitely preferable to murder. "The more I hit the mortuaries and other sources, the more likely it is I will be detected."

"Have you tried hospitals?" Shunsui asked and the two ghouls both looked at him. "I had a girlfriend who was a nurse, once. She told me they generate quite a bit of medical waste. It normally goes to be incinerated."

"Really?" Starrk sounded surprised. The ancient ghoul rubbed his chin thoughtfully before taking a bite of his food. Shunsui looked away from that, eating a bit of his. It was alarmingly delicious. "I used to frequent hospitals, back when they housed many cadavers. Now, the bodies are sent to funeral homes… I hadn't thought about medical waste. Things like waste from transplants?" He hazarded and Shunsui nodded. "Intriguing. But I would think hospitals would have more cameras than funeral homes." The ghoul sounded troubled and Shunsui nodded again.

"They would. But you must be good at evading security systems." Funeral homes might not be cutting edge, state of the art in security, but they would be serviceable. Starrk nodded.

"Yes, but I know how funeral homes work. I think one of us needs to get a job as a janitor." He speculated and Shunsui thought about it for a moment before nodding. That was a very good idea. All he really knew about how hospitals worked was what his girlfriend had told him, which really wasn't much. "Which means one of us will need a false identity. Ah, the criminal element… I will need to begin making contact." Starrk sighed and Shunsui lifted an eyebrow at him. It was Lilinette who explained.

"He hates dealing with the mob. If they catch wind of what we are they either freak out and try an' shoot us or they try an' use us. Not sure which is worse." Lilinette rolled her eyes. "And they're a LOT better at tracking us than the authorities. We had to skip the border for a while. We even thought about heading for parts unknown, but Starrk kind of likes this place so we came back."

"This is my home. My people have always lived here." Starrk said simply and Shunsui stared at him, surprised. "I do not know who they are, but many of the people living here may still carry the blood of my tribe. The first city we founded was your capital."

"Really?" Shunsui was mildly shocked by the revelation. He'd known the city was old, of course – it was ruins built on top of ruins – but ten thousand years? Starrk nodded.

"It is a very good location." He said with a small smile. "Although over time, my people spread. Who knows? We may be related." Starrk said it with a faint edge of sadness and Lilinette huffed at them both.

"Oi! It'd take a geneticist to see and even if they would, who cares? No one knows who you are anyway. Welcome to the trash heap of history." She said and Starrk looked genuinely hurt for a moment – until a small blue tentacle suddenly hit him in the stomach, making him yelp. "And don't get funky! Geez! Cheer up you goomba!"

"Goomba? Lilinette, half the time I don't understand a word you're saying." Starrk protested mildly and Shunsui chuckled. "Well, we are fed and this should carry us for some time. We should begin looking for work."

"Can I get a job delivering papers again Starrk? Can I, can I?" Lilinette sounded so enthusiastic and Starrk laughed before nodding. "Sweet! Spending money!"

"As long as you can find a place willing to pay you under the table. Everything we do is under the table, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem." Starrk said and Shunsui nodded. The black and grey economy was large, particularly with the whole area still unsettled.

"I could get a job as a bartender." He volunteered. That was how he'd made money as a young man, he could easily do it again. Starrk nodded, although with a small frown.

"Not until you can use the kenserie better. There is another ghoul out there, I am sure of it. He or she is avoiding me." Starrk said with a sigh and Shunsui looked away with a frown. He hated feeling helpless, but his sparring sessions with Starrk had brought home how poor he was at controlling the tentacles. He could only manifest one at a time, right now. "I fear that ghoul is just looking for a time when you are out from under our eyes… I hate cat and mouse games. We must be cautious."

"We could use pinky as bait – OW! Starrk!" A red tentacle had slapped Lilinette upside the head. She manifested her blue ones and soon there was a spirited tussle going on. Shunsui smiled and delicately extended his pink tentacle, making it a fine line. Then he began to tickle Lilinette with it. "AH! PINKY STOP EEEK!"

"Stop calling me pinky and I'll think about it." He said cheerfully as Starrk caught her arms with his tentacles. Then, to his surprise, the elder ghoul manifested two more to keep her from forcing him away. He hadn't known Starrk had four. Ignoring that in favor of tormenting Lilinette, he tickled her until she was laughing and begging him to stop.

"I won't call you pinky!" She wheezed. "I swear! Oh my god Shunsui stop!" Pleased to hear his actual name, he smiled and pulled his tentacles away. "Now for my REVENGE – HEY!" Starrk grabbed her by the ankles and hung her upside down. "STARRK!" The sky blue tentacles pried at the red, but it was hopeless.

"No taking revenge on Shunsui. Now, would you like to go see a movie? There's a midnight showing of Greaseballs." He said and Lilinette's eyes lit up. Well, as much as they could when she was upside down with her hair in her face. Shunsui smiled a bit at the thought. It was an animated movie, he'd seen the commercials for it. Not something he would normally go to see but it likely would be amusing.

"Yeah, yeah! Let me down Starrk, I'll be nice to p – Shunsui." She corrected herself and Shunsui laughed, reaching out to ruffle her hair as Starrk set her back on her feet. She scowled at him, reaching up to slap away his hand. "Oi! You treat me like a kid and you'll be pinky again!" Lilinette threatened and he smiled at her.

"A deal. You're not a child and I'm not pinky." He said easily and she nodded.

"Alright, it's a deal. C'mon, let's go!" She darted out of the building and the two men followed close behind.

It was time for some mindless fun.

* * *

"Lilinette, I'm not sure about this." Shunsui was very ambivalent about what the young ghoul was up to. She peered past him intently, all her attention on a rather upscale boutique.

"I can do it! I know I can." She insisted and he frowned. "You just have to wait here. Starrk's being way paranoid and I don't scent anything, you'll be fine!" That, he did agree with. Starrk's paranoia about his safety was very annoying.

"Don't get caught." He warned her and she nodded impatiently before starting out, every inch the sweet, innocent child. Her wardrobe helped with that… Starrk had been busy, stealing them more clothing. She was wearing a very pretty blue dress with frills and a delicate bow beneath her budding breasts. And Lilinette came from a good family. She knew how to fit into a nice neighborhood.

Shunsui leaned against the wall, just watching as she walked into the boutique. She was planning to steal a very fashionable handbag. He thought she would manage it just fine… Lilinette and Starrk had removing ink tags with their tentacles down to an art form. Another thing he didn't have the fine control to manage yet.

Shunsui suddenly froze as a scent reached him. He glanced around sharply, tensing as he recognized the distinctive odor of another ghoul. It was nowhere near as complex as Starrk's aroma, but deeper than Lilinette's if he was any judge.

"…" He was a bit out of sight. Deciding that he really needed to be in plain sight, he moved – "Uck!" A tentacle of bright purple snagged him and dragged him back. It raised a thin line of blood on his skin but did not penetrate. Hissing in pain, he manifested his pink tentacle and lashed out. There was a soft laugh behind him as he turned to face the other ghoul.

"Finally." The ghoul he was facing was a woman. Her hair was soft blond, draping so it covered one of her eyes. They were black and purple, matching her tentacles. "This has been hard work but it all pays off now." She said with a toothy smile and Shunsui glared, readying himself.

Her attacks came quickly and violently. Only his sparring with Starrk let him hold out for even a moment. Blood flew as her tentacles got through his inadequate guard, slashing his hardened skin. Ghoul skin was uniquely suited to defeating ghoul attacks, which gave him a bit of time. If only Lilinette got back –

"HEY!" The purple ghoul looked annoyed as bright blue tentacles attacked her. Hissing in annoyance, she abandoned the fight and pulled herself onto the roof of the building. Lilinette watched her go, scowling. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned and Shunsui grimaced as he looked over his clothing. The wounds weren't too bad but his clothes were partially shredded. "Oh man. Starrk's gonna be mad at me." She said gloomily as she examined him.

"I'll take responsibility for it as well." Shunsui said, running a hand over his face. He'd honestly thought Starrk was just being paranoid. It seemed he'd underestimated what another ghoul would do to eliminate the competition and secure a very good meal. "Did you get the bag, at least?" If not this would all feel extremely pointless. Lilinette brightened at that.

"Yeah, I did! See?" She lifted the little bag and he looked at it in bemusement. It was bright blue and matched her dress. "Guess how much it's worth!"

"No idea. How much?" He asked, going along with it. She gave him a cheeky grin.

"Three thousand dollars!" She said and he choked a bit. "It's a Paranetta!"

"Uh… right. Why don't we get out of here before the police arrive?" If he'd known purses could even cost that much, he wouldn't have agreed to this. Lilinette just sniffed.

"I got all the security crap and the cameras didn't get me. We're good. But sure, let's go." She started off, skipping cheerfully and Shunsui smiled as he trailed behind.

Lilinette did look very cute with her brand new fashion accessory.


	39. AU - Vampires and Werewolves - Part 2

"I don't know what Ulquiorra has been teaching you, so we will start with the basics." Starrk said to his new pupil. Juushiro just looked at him hopefully, ready to do anything the werewolf wanted. Shunsui lay in the moss of the burrow, wondering what his part would be in this, if anything. "That is how to feed. Shunsui will be your… donor." Starrk said after a moment, clearly trying to find the right word for it. Shunsui blinked as Juushiro bit his lip.

"But what if I…?" He sounded pained and Shunsui wanted to reassure him. Starrk was handling this, though. The elder wolf smiled gently at the young vampire.

"That is why I forced you to gorge this morning. As long as you are not hungry, there will be no danger of taking too much." Starrk shifted slightly, frowning as he thought. "Being a vampire is very different from being a werewolf. Our inner wolf desires many things… it is like a second mind, a more primal one." He said and Shunsui nodded. "A vampire has nothing like that. They have just one instinct… the desire for blood. If you do not wish to kill, the simplest way to avoid it is simply to never be hungry. Eat often from multiple donors. If you allow yourself to become hungry, the taste of blood will inflame you and cause you to take too much. Always remember that." He said and Juushiro nodded. "Now, gaze into Shunsui's eyes." Juushiro turned to look at them and their eyes met. Shunsui felt nothing at all. "Now, find a state of calm within yourself. Have you ever meditated? It is like that. When you have it, share it with him."

It took several tries and a lot of eye contact, but eventually Shunsui felt a strange lassitude come over him. It was a comfortable feeling and he relaxed, completely unalarmed as Juushiro approached him. The prick of fangs at his throat, the sensation of his blood and power being drained away, was arousing. Shunsui groaned softly as his leather trousers became far too tight. He couldn't care about it though. Everything was dreamy and vague…

"Very good. Now… this may embarrass you. But if you wish to ensure he will remember nothing, you should give him sexual satisfaction." Starrk's voice seemed very far away. "Otherwise he will likely recall that you drank from him. That does not matter here, of course, but with humans…"

"I see." Juushiro's voice was very soothing to him. "Um… do you mind not watching…?"

"Not at all." There was the sound of someone moving and then hands on his body, freeing him from his confines. Shunsui closed his eyes, just _feeling_ as a delicious sensation started, centring on his cock. He remained absolutely limp, still entranced, but one part of him was definitely not limp at all. He moaned, deep in his throat, as the pressure gradually increased. It felt so _good,_ so _amazing_…

The feeling of intense pleasure came to a point and Shunsui shuddered as he released. His mind was left loose and unmoored, reality seeming to grow hazy and distant. He was vaguely aware of a voice saying something concerned before he drifted away…

* * *

"Shunsui."

"Mmm?" Shunsui mumbled, feeling incredibly satisfied and tired. He opened his eyes, slowly focusing on the face in front of him. Starrk looked slightly concerned. "Starrk?"

"Yes. How do you feel?" He asked and Shunsui blinked before evaluating himself.

"I feel wonderful." He felt lazy and content. Really, he just wanted to go back to sleep but wasn't there supposed to be a hunt soon? "Ah… the hunt, am I late?" Was that why Starrk was waking him? There was a warm chuckle from the pack leader and Shunsui felt a bit puzzled.

"You entranced him a bit too well. He's lost more time than he should have, but it may be because he trusted you." Starrk said to someone else and Shunsui followed his gaze, feeling even more confused as he saw Juushiro. When had he come in? And he looked very concerned.

"Wait, I… what happened?" Something wasn't right. Starrk smiled before he explained.

"Shunsui, that hunt was yesterday. Juushiro just finished feeding on you and erasing your memories. As I said, he was a bit too successful." Starrk sounded amused and Shunsui frowned, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

"I… damn it, I was looking forward to that." He complained mildly. Even if he'd done it, it felt like he'd missed it. "How did I do?" He'd been allowed to take point. Starrk hesitated a moment.

"Do you want the truth or a comforting lie?" He asked and Shunsui winced. That bad? Then Starrk suddenly grinned at him. "I'm playing with you, pup. You did just fine." He said and Shunsui stared. Starrk rarely displayed it, but he did have a very strange sense of humor.

"Oh… you bastard!" He finally laughed, looking at Juushiro. His best friend seemed to be relieved now that he realized Shunsui was fine. "Is lesson time over for today?" Now that the haze was wearing off, he felt almost energized. Juushiro must not have taken much blood. Starrk nodded.

"Indeed it is. Perhaps you should go to the lake, enjoy the night. It's still quite warm out." He said and Shunsui nodded with a smile. Werewolves tended to be diurnal, active most at dawn and dusk. But fully nocturnal behavior was hardly unusual and Shunsui found it easy to spend plenty of time with Juushiro yet still get his training in with Starrk.

"Thank you." He said to the pack leader. Starrk was giving them permission to go out alone, without him, which was thoughtful of him. It also showed a degree of trust, that he thought they wouldn't get into trouble. Starrk smiled back at him but it had that strange edge of sadness he'd seen before.

"Have fun." The elder wolf said before vanishing. Shunsui smiled at Juushiro, who smiled back. He looked almost normal, with all the werewolf blood adding color to his complexion. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought Juushiro was still alive. The thought brought a bit of pain but he pushed it aside, reaching to take a pale hand.

"Shall we?" He asked and Juushiro nodded.

"Yes, lets." He said and they quickly made their way out of the den. The stars and the crescent moon were hard to see until they reached the lake, but then they were luminous. They sat on a stone by the quiet waters and just talked, reminiscing about the times they had been human and the things they had done.

They would make new memories in their new existence, but sometimes they liked to remember the old times.

* * *

It was two weeks later that Juushiro said something that turned his life upside down.

Ever since the vampire had joined them, Starrk had not engaged in intimacy with him. Shunsui had received a few gentle promptings but each time, the elder werewolf had left him with Juushiro to satisfy his needs. His lover was more than willing to help. This time, though, he looked after Starrk with an odd expression on his face.

"Shunsui, you do realize that that man loves you?" He said and Shunsui's mind went completely blank for a moment.

"What?" Shunsui stared at Juushiro but saw his best friend and lover was completely serious. "…That's ridiculous!" His inner wolf felt an immediate rejection that mirrored his own. Juushiro blinked at him, surprised by his vehemence.

"It's true though. He'd very good at hiding it but lately he's been teaching me how to recognize lies. It's a vampire power, picking up the tiny, subtle cues. And I can see it in him, Shunsui. The way his breath speeds up, just a bit, when he's close to you… the way his pulse speeds up when you touch… he's deeply attracted to you, but it's more than that. The way he looks so sad sometimes, particularly when we're having time alone together." He said softly and Shunsui swallowed. He had noticed that but he'd thought the other werewolf just felt a bit wistful, that he had no true lover in his life.

"But why did he get you then? Why would he bring us back together?" That made no sense. Juushiro smiled, but it was sad and touched with pity.

"Because he loves you." He said and that took Shunsui's breath away. Could that be true? Starrk loved him and because of that love, had given him back the man HE loved?

"I – I have to talk to him." The needs of his wolf were suddenly unimportant. And even his wolf seemed to feel that way… it was capable of reasoning, to a certain degree, and was in just as much in shock as he was at Juushiro's revelation. "Do you mind if I…?" He asked and his lover smiled understandingly.

"Go ahead. And Shunsui? I can share." He said softly and Shunsui blinked before shaking his head, feeling heat in his face. He quickly left the room, going to find Starrk.

The pack leader wasn't hard to find. He was outside, sitting on top of the rocky entrance to the den. Shunsui climbed the rocks easily, aware of Starrk looking at him with curiosity and a bit of confusion.

"Shunsui? You can't possibly have… and I smell nothing on you." Starrk said softly and Shunsui looked into those ancient grey eyes, so strong yet peaceful. Shunsui felt a sudden, strange feeling from his wolf. Desire to dominate? Yes, the need to pull Starrk down and take him… but he knew the pack leader would never accept that. Why was his wolf even thinking it?

"Juushiro said that he thinks you love me." He said bluntly and saw the shock, followed by anguish in those steel grey eyes. Kami, he was right. "But I don't understand. You must be a very dominant wolf. How can that be?" Dominant wolves were not attracted to each other, at all. There was an instinctive repulsion. Starrk looked away for a moment before looking back, his eyes superficially calm again. But Shunsui could sense the turmoil roiling beneath the surface.

"One does not need to be a dominant wolf to be the pack leader, Shunsui." Starrk said softly and he blinked at the thought, feeling confusion from his wolf. "All one needs to do is kill the previous pack leader. The reason it is almost always a dominant is because only dominant wolves will issue a challenge. However… sometimes, circumstances can intervene. I will tell you the story if you want."

"Please." Shunsui requested, taking a seat beside the other wolf. Starrk gazed up at the stars for a moment, collecting his thoughts before he spoke.

"I am not an alpha werewolf. I am a very strong submissive, the kind of submissive werewolf that will only mate to the strongest of alphas." He said quietly and Shunsui just watched him. He could sense the pain in the other man. It was a long term, abiding pain. "When I was young I did not know this. You have heard the story of my… injury?" He asked and Shunsui nodded. "It is true. When I came to this pack with my little sister, begging for a place, I was badly damaged. The pack leader at the time scented my weakness and decided to have some cruel fun with me… he suggested I could stay if I, I…" Starrk paused to swallow. "Gave them my sister to play with. She was only thirteen." He said and Shunsui felt a flash of rage. "I didn't know it, but he didn't really mean it. He was trying to enrage me, to see my strength. It worked all too well… she meant everything to me. I killed him as the rest of the pack watched." He said before smiling. It was a sad, bittersweet smile. "And so I gained a place… as the new pack leader. Not something I wanted or sought, but it did let me protect my sister."

"…That must be very painful for you." Shunsui said, understanding Starrk's dilemma. As the pack leader, he could not submit to anyone. As a very powerful submissive, though, his wolf craved that exact thing. And being pack leader of a werewolf pack was not a position you could step down from. Shunsui winced as he felt the desire from his wolf again. Now that he understood what Starrk really was, his inner wolf desperately wanted to take the other man.

"It is, but it is nothing for you to worry about." Starrk said, his calm firmly in place again. Those ancient, peaceful eyes turned on him and Shunsui wondered how much pain was hidden behind them. More than he could imagine. "You cannot – Shunsui!" He couldn't resist. The wolf within wanted this as much as he did. Shunsui tried to pull the elder wolf down, mount him on the stones. He would – "Stop it! You cannot – mph!" He forced a kiss on the other man, the power of his inner wolf rising in the air, howling at the other wolf to submit. "Mph…" He could sense Starrk weakening. This was what the other wolf wanted, so desperately. The fact that he was violating all pack etiquette didn't matter to Shunsui. "No, I…"

"Submit to me. You know you want to." He whispered in Starrk's ear, hearing a heady whine from the other wolf. Then he felt the resistance going out of him, felt hands gripping his body as the other werewolf exposed his throat, giving what no dominant werewolf willingly would. Shunsui took advantage of it, sucking on his throat and grazing the skin with his fangs. He felt a shiver from the man beneath him, the energy rising from him to entangle with his own. "Sweet kami!" That felt incredible. When Starrk had taken him their energies had never merged like that…

Shunsui impatiently extended his claws, ripping the ties of Starrk's clothing, pulling the leather away. The other wolf gasped, his hands trembling as he worked more delicately on his clothing. It didn't take him long, though, to pull his pants down and reveal his straining erection. Neither of them bothered with underthings and Shunsui licked his fingers, impatiently preparing the other wolf. He looked into Starrk's eyes and finally saw something. Those grey eyes were glazed with tears yet filled with a feverish need, a desperate desire that the other wolf could not hold back.

"Oh Shunsui, kami, take me…" Starrk's voice was so undone. Shunsui had never heard him like this, never seen him lose control so completely. Groaning, he positioned himself before sliding inside. The werewolf beneath him arched with a wanton cry, human fingers digging sharply into his shoulders. Shunsui's eyes went wide as he felt the tight, wet heat gripping him, felt the power twining around his soul.

"Starrk." He whispered the other man's name as he began taking him in a quick, brutally powerful rhythm. He knew that had to hurt, vaguely – werewolves healed quickly but still experienced pain – yet, Starrk didn't seem to care. The other wolf urged him onward with soft pants and grunts, shoving his hips back in an effort to meet him.

As they mated, Shunsui was vaguely aware of other werewolves, male and female both, peeking out of the den to observe them. He could only imagine how confused they were… the thought made him chuckle harshly and Starrk made a soft questioning sound, before Shunsui silenced him with a kiss. It was a feral, instinctive kiss, all teeth and tongue. Starrk responded enthusiastically, tangling a hand in his hair and trying to get everything from his mouth that he could.

Shunsui gripped pale hips in a tight, nearly bruising grip, speeding his thrusts. Starrk gasped harshly, sweat beading on pale skin as he bared his throat, surrendering to the dominant male above him. Shunsui took advantage of that, exploring the soft skin, feeling the warm rush of blood beneath.

"So amazing… sweet kami…" Starrk breathed and Shunsui gasped as the hot walls around him seemed to tighten. "Give me… more…" The elder werewolf moaned, fingers biting into his shoulders and raising lines of blood. The passion of the moment was incredible and Shunsui groaned as he surged against the other, trying to get in deeper. He needed more. More of Starrk's body, more of his inner heat, more… "Shunsui!" Starrk was reaching his climax. Shunsui felt it as the elder werewolf tightened, crying out as his cum spilled between the two of them. He followed a moment later, howling his passion as he spent himself in the other's hot core.

They were both left panting and shaking, their bodies tangled together. Shunsui was vaguely aware of the aftertaste of power in his mouth and knew they had bombarded the other werewolves with the strength of their coupling. No one could possibly have missed it. He didn't care, though. He felt absolutely amazing, nuzzling Starrk's throat and giving him a few nips to express his pleasure and dominance.

"Oh Shunsui." Starrk's voice was warm with pleasure but also deeply saddened. Shunsui blinked and pulled back a bit to look into his face. The other wolf looked completely relaxed, in a way he'd never seen before. But there was also an edge of sorrow in his eyes. "This will almost certainly lead to my death."

"What?" Shunsui blinked at the other man, gently pulling out of his body. Starrk groaned softly, a bit of discomfort flashing across his face before he relaxed again, putting an arm around him with a small smile. "What do you mean?" He asked, guiltily aware that they had violated pack etiquette in a massive way. But surely Starrk wouldn't be executed? He was the pack leader! Starrk sighed, looking up at the stars.

"This will make me look weak, Shunsui. And worse than that… normally challenges to a pack leader are issued individually. But when they realize that I must be a submissive, several of the dominants might challenge me together. I can defeat any one of my wolves, but a group of them…" Starrk let his voice trail off and Shunsui swallowed. "Ah, well. I cannot take it back. And the truth is, I have been longing for this for so long." The elder wolf sounded quietly blissful, now.

"I won't let you die." Shunsui said in a low tone, looking at the man beneath him. He'd never guessed, when he met Starrk on the battlefield, that they would end up together this way. But he was not prepared to let the other werewolf go. "If they can challenge you as a group, I can support you." Starrk shook his head.

"No. I might as well throw away my position if you do that." He said in a low tone and Shunsui swallowed. "I will see that you are accepted into the pack as quickly as possible, then deal with this situation. Until then…" Starrk paused, suddenly uncertain. "Juushiro… how does he feel about this?" The werewolf asked, his eyes suddenly very vulnerable. Shunsui smiled at him reassuringly.

"He's the one who pointed out how you feel about me. He's fine with it." He assured the other wolf, who looked relieved. "I'm going to figure this out." There had to be something he could do. Starrk just smiled at him, running a hand down his side.

"Just show me how you feel about me." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. The other wolf wanted to…? He swallowed, feeling the desire welling up again. But perhaps…

"Why don't I show you both, together?" He suggested and Starrk's eyes widened for a moment. Then he smiled and it was sweet beyond words. Shunsui stared, captivated by the expression.

"You know, I would enjoy that." Starrk breathed and Shunsui desperately wanted to take the man right now. "Very much. Let's go see him." Controlling himself ruthlessly, Shunsui nodded. He moved off the other werewolf, pulling his clothing back into place as Starrk found his pants. The three of them together… how would that go? He wasn't sure but with as dominant as his wolf was, he would be on top.

He honestly couldn't wait.


	40. From Defeat - Part 3

Starrk ran his fingers through thick chestnut hair as he leaned back, just enjoying the pleasure his pet was giving to him.

Shunsui was in the middle of sucking him off and after all their years together, he was skillful at it. Although the attention was not one-sided. Starrk had just finished giving his slave his blowjob, before receiving his own. And it was glorious.

Part of the thrill of it was the time and place. It was another one of Aizen's stupid banquets and they were in a broom closet, not too far off from where everyone else was 'enjoying' hearing the boring speeches and eating the rather good food. The food would wait, though, and the boring speeches were just boring. This was anything but.

The door opened just a touch and Starrk lifted his head in surprise. Startled grey eyes met shocked and horrified brown and Starrk realized it was Juushiro just before the door closed. Trying to concentrate through his pleasure, he felt his other pet's emotions and felt embarrassment, shock and… anguish. For Shunsui? Starrk made a mental note to talk to Juushiro later before giving all his attention back to Shunsui's throat. Kami, the man felt so good down there!

Just from what he was feeling, Juushiro had gotten the wrong impression of what was happening. But Starrk wasn't going to cut this short, particularly since he couldn't discuss it with the white haired man in front of everyone. No, he would save it for later.

Now was for pleasure.

* * *

"Juushiro, I think we need to talk." Starrk said firmly. Juushiro was playing with little Sanae and didn't look up at him. Nanao was there as well and looked over with a frown. Her belly was becoming round again and Starrk smiled at the sight. He was still afraid but it made him feel warm, seeing her bearing his young. But then he turned his attention back to the man on the ground. "Now." He made it an order and Juushiro winced before standing with a sigh.

"Very well." He couldn't have made his reluctance more obvious but Starrk felt that he had to do this. He took the man to a different room and made certain the door was closed behind them. "What is it?" There was a certain wariness in Juushiro's expression. Perhaps he thought this was a prelude to some kind of forced intimacy. Starrk sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It's about what you saw at the banquet." He said softly and Juushiro looked away with a faint wince. "I think you misunderstood. Before you arrived, I gave Shunsui his pleasure." Their eyes met for a moment and Starrk was a bit taken aback by the bitterness he could sense from the other man.

"That does not make it consensual, Starrk-san." Juushiro said and Starrk nodded. He knew that. But…

"If Shunsui had asked me not to do it, I would have humored him." He said softly and Juushiro looked away, his expression pinched. "I allow them time together and often, we just sleep." Without the rut clouding his mind, things were very different. Just cuddling up with his two pets, feeling their warmth and bathing in their scent… he enjoyed that almost as much as the sex.

"They wouldn't dare deny you for too long." Juushiro said, still bitter and Starrk frowned. He knew the other man had a point. Shunsui and Nanao had never pressed his limits. They were too wise to take the risk. Still…

"What would you have me do? I am what I am and it is what it is." He said after a moment and Juushiro closed his eyes in pain. "I do not rape them, Juushiro." He wouldn't call it that, not now. It had definitely been a kind of rape to begin with but… not now.

"I know. And I know how much worse it could be for them. I experienced that…" He sounded softly anguished for a moment and Starrk winced. "But it doesn't change how wrong this is." He met brown eyes and was surprised at how cold they were. "You know, just because you've forced yourself into their lives doesn't mean they love you."

"…" Starrk felt breathless for a moment. The pain of those words, delivered so honestly, was like a knife through his heart. He had to viciously clamp down on his link to Lilinette. He did not want her to rush in and demand to know what was wrong. In fact, this was something he never, ever wanted to discuss with her. Her emotions mirrored his and this would hurt her just as badly. He closed his eyes, struggling with his emotions and hating how weak it made him feel. "I know that." He said, hearing the pain in his own voice. He opened his eyes and felt another twist in his chest as he met Juushiro's eyes, saw his expression. He could tell from the cold anger there that those words had been calculated to hurt him as much as possible. "Perhaps I should go." This had all been a mistake. Juushiro just nodded.

"Perhaps you should." He agreed and Starrk swallowed before leaving the room, feeling deeply pained.

And it was worse because he knew that he had earned it.

* * *

For Starrk, the pain gradually dulled.

Sanae helped him the most. Her childish joy was a balm on his soul and holding her in his arms reminded him that he was loved. By the ones who didn't know any better, perhaps, but his standards were very low. He would take anything he could get. It made him wonder, though. Would Sanae hate him when she understood what he was to her parents? Starrk wished she could just stay innocent but he was not that naïve. Sanae would be trained as the Kyoraku clan heir. She would have to know about the Espada and, by extension, her Uncle Starrk.

The thought of that made him want to hide his head under a pillow and sleep forever, but he had his duties. Starrk would never have imagined he could be glad to have work, but he was. It let him take his mind off things, concentrate on something outside himself. And if he drew it out, or worked harder than he had to, he could come home well after his pets went to sleep. If not for that, Starrk was sure they would already have gotten curious about why he was avoiding intimacy with them.

Even if the pain was ebbing, the thought of taking his pets again brought it back. Really, Juushiro was right. He had enslaved and raped them. Starrk remembered how he'd felt at first, how he'd reveled in their pain. He still almost enjoyed it but he knew that was because his broken heart could not properly produce emotions. He lived vicariously through Shunsui and Nanao, experiencing bad emotions as well as the good. It seemed ironic that the only feelings his heart could still reproduce faithfully were loneliness and hurt.

Lilinette understood nothing of what he was going through his mind, because he was trying very hard to keep her ignorant. But she did notice that he was not touching his pets.

"Okay, I never, ever thought I would say this. But you need to fuck Nanao." Lilinette groused at him and Starrk winced. "Seriously! I can hardly smell you on her and she's carrying your pups! This is stupid Starrk!"

"Lilinette… I'm not in the mood." He said tiredly and she gaped at him.

"Not in the mood?! When the hell have you not been in the mood? I'm telling Shunsui!" She darted out of the room before he could grab her and Starrk groaned, grabbing a pillow and stuffing his head under it. He could still hear Lilinette's shrill voice. "SHUNSUI! NANAO! Starrk's sick! I think he's going to die!"

"What?" Starrk heard Shunsui's startled voice. He grabbed a second pillow, piling it on top of the first. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could suffocate himself. Hollow survival instinct made it impossible, though. And could shinigami commit suicide that way? Starrk suspected the answer was no.

"Starrk? Are you alright?" A hand pulled at his pillows and he clutched them more firmly. Maybe it was ridiculous but he just wanted to hide. "…Are you hiding?" Shunsui sounded entertained and Starrk groaned into the fabric.

"Yes. Go away." He said, very muffled. He considered using the mental connection between them to make them leave, but then decided against it. It would be rude over something so petty and besides, Lilinette could also compel them. It caused Shunsui and Nanao physical pain when the two halves of the Primera were locked in contention and he definitely did not want to inflict that on them.

"Starrk, you look like an ostrich. Please come out." Nanao said gently and he could hear the amusement in her voice. Briefly, Starrk wondered what an ostrich was. He had no reference for that. Then something very obnoxious started fighting for his pillows.

"LET GO STARRK!" He tried to hold on but Lilinette was just too much for him. "Do you need to go see Szayel and Unohana? Is it serious?" She demanded as she managed to uncover him and he groaned, putting a hand over his face.

"No! I'm fine. Go away." He said and then something landed on his belly. "Wha… ack!" Looking down he saw Sanae. She was looking at him with concern, her grey eyes wide.

"Unca Starr'? You sick?" She asked and he couldn't help himself. He sat up and gently gathered her in his arms, comforting her. "I got sick and I sneezed." She informed him solemnly and Starrk smiled at her, gently running his fingers through her soft black hair.

"I'm not sick, Sanae." He said gently before looking around him. Nanao was seated on a cushion beside him while Shunsui was kneeling in front of him, looking at him with both amusement and concern. Lilinette was beside him, scowling at him. Starrk had the distinct feeling he was not going to get out of this without some kind of explanation and sighed to himself. "Lilinette, could you please take Sanae out to play? This is an adult discussion." He would never want to hurt her with what was going through his mind. Her scowl intensified and she aimed a blow at his head, which he ducked.

"What, are you having trouble getting it up or – mph!" Starrk got a hand over her mouth, giving her a severe look.

"Sanae is in the room." He said pointedly, glancing at the child in his lap. She just looked up at him with blank incomprehension. "Please, Lilinette, we can sort it out." He said, letting go before she could hurt him. He knew she wanted to and it usually made Sanae laugh, which only encouraged her.

"Lilinette, please take Sanae to the gardens." Nanao seconded him and that, thankfully, encouraged her to go. Lilinette definitely had a soft spot for the future mother of their children. Grumbling a bit, she picked up Sanae. The little girl didn't want to go but Lilinette bribed her with the promise of Juushiro and candy.

"Now, Starrk. What is wrong?" Shunsui asked as soon as the girls were out of earshot. Starrk rubbed his eyes with one gloved hand, thinking of how to explain. "I hadn't noticed, really, since you've still been sleeping with us. But it has been over a week since you had sex with either of us." Starrk flinched a bit. Even now, that was very unusual for him. He would have slept elsewhere, but he just couldn't give up the scent baths. And besides, that would have been extremely obvious.

"I thought Aizen was keeping you busy. But that isn't it, is it?" Nanao said and Starrk sighed, lowering his hand.

"No. It's… foolish of me." He said softly, feeling the deep ache in his heart. Why was he still cursed with the ability to feel pain? Of course, isolation was only an aspect of loneliness and he was the Espada of Solitude. "I had a…" How to define that? "…Discussion with Juushiro. About our relationship. He pointed out an unpalatable truth." He shrugged, feigning indifference. "It is what it is." That, at least, was certainly true. He needed to get over it, and he would with time. It wasn't anything he hadn't already known, after all. Shunsui and Nanao exchanged a glance.

"Starrk, can you be a bit more specific? What did Juushiro say to you?" Shunsui said and Starrk really wished he would just let it go. Did they really have to prod at his wound this way? But they wanted to understand. If he could just get it out, perhaps they would leave him alone.

"He pointed out that just because I have forced my way into your lives does not mean you love me." He forced the words out, feeling like he was pushing them away from himself. Nanao winced, looking away as Shunsui stared at him wide eyed.

"Juushiro said that?" He sounded shocked. Starrk wondered why. He had to know how much his best friend had suffered, how much pain he was in. "…Oh, Juu." Shunsui shook his head and Starrk could see pain on his face. "I apologize. He was always very empathetic and understanding, so in tune with others' emotions. I never imagined he would use it to harm someone." He said and Starrk waved away the apology.

"It is nothing but the truth." He said, feeling drained by this. He just wanted it to be over. "I'm not stupid enough to deny it. It just… hurts, sometimes." Would anyone ever love him, truly love him? Lilinette, of course, but she was part of him. That hardly counted. Perhaps the pups growing in Nanao's belly… but even there, how would they feel when they understood that their mother was enslaved to him? "I fear what Sanae will think, when she understands." That thought bothered him a great deal. Then a hand caught his and Starrk blinked as Nanao tangled her fingers with his.

"Sanae will always love you, Starrk." She said it so firmly, he truly wanted to believe it. Shunsui's hand came down on his shoulder and he looked into the shinigami's eyes.

"You know, Starrk, there's a lighter side to everything. I sometimes wonder, if it hadn't been for you, if Nanao and I would ever have gotten together." He said with a small smile. "I spent so many years trying to get past her defenses and only got a binder in the face!" He joked and Nanao smiled. Starrk honestly had trouble picturing it. His pets loved each other so much, now. "And it's even more unlikely that we would have married and had a child."

"My family is middle class, nothing exalted enough for a high noble." Nanao said softly and Starrk blinked at the thought. "It's different now. But back then, the Kyoraku clan would never have allowed the match." She said and Shunsui sighed softly before nodding. "Part of the reason I was so firm with him." She smiled at Shunsui and he put an arm around her, smiling back. Then he turned that smile on Starrk.

"What I'm trying to say, Starrk, is that we both care for you." He said softly and Starrk's breath caught in his throat as his heart tried, very hard, to create feelings. "Is it the same as what we feel for each other? No, but there's room for different kinds of love in a heart." Grey eyes met grey and Starrk swallowed. "Let me show you." He let go of Nanao then, reaching down to grip chestnut hair and pull the Espada into a kiss. It was warm and passionate, their tongues sliding together. Starrk was vaguely aware of Nanao leaving the room and wondered where she was going, but then he completely lost track of it as Shunsui began working on removing his jacket. His hands shaking a bit, he reached up to work on Shunsui's yukata and hakama. Without his duties as a shinigami, he'd taken to wearing noble garb.

"Mmm, Starrk…" Shunsui murmured in his ear as they disrobed each other. When they were naked he began exploring the Espada, making Starrk arch into his hands with a gasp. Then Nanao came back into the room, smiling. "Ah, thank you." Starrk lifted his head with a blink, then smiled as he saw her handing him a bottle of lube. They would certainly need that.

The lube was gently scented with cherry blossoms and Starrk breathed in the scent as Shunsui began preparing him. They kissed again as those big fingers explored him, delving into his body. Starrk shuddered as the cream went from cool to warm, spreading deep inside. He could feel Shunsui's erection pressing against his belly, the evidence that the shinigami had missed him as well. Shunsui chuckled, pulling his hand away and Starrk whined softly, rubbing his hips up teasingly against his partner. Shunsui smiled at him and rested his fingers against Starrk's lips, making him blink. Then he flicked his tongue out, tasting the lube on his lips. It tasted like cherries…

His hips were hitched up, then, and Starrk gasped as that organ pressed past the ring of muscle, breeching his body with one smooth move. It felt so good, being filled after so long and Starrk wrapped his legs around Shunsui's waist, deeply enjoying the feeling. He nuzzled the other man, feeling the tickle of his beard as Shunsui began to take him at a slow, gentle pace. That cock inside him ghosted across his prostate and Starrk gasped at the teasing contact.

"Oh Shunsui…" He was vaguely aware of Nanao watching them, a blush on her cheeks as she reached for her clothing. Then Shunsui hit his prostate more firmly and Starrk completely lost track of anything but the pleasure he was experiencing. "Shunsui!" It felt amazing, wonderful, having that man so deep inside him.

"Starrk." Warm lips explored his throat as he shuddered, meeting Shunsui's thrusts with his hips. "You feel so wonderful in there…" Shunsui breathed in his ear and Starrk was hardly aware of what he was doing as he dug his fingers into those broad shoulders. A thin trickle of blood ran down that tan skin and the scent of it led him to lick at the fluid, tasting the salty tang on his tongue.

"Oh kami." Starrk breathed, his eyes wide and staring as their coupling became more intense. Shunsui was riding him firmly now, striking his special spot with every thrust. If he died right now, Starrk vaguely thought that he would be so happy. "I don't know… if I can love… but I feel…" Was what he felt right now what a shinigami would call love? He didn't know, but it was powerful.

"Whatever you feel is enough." Shunsui assured him before reaching between them, his hand encircling the Espada's erection. Starrk gasped as he was stimulated, more lube making the glide of flesh against flesh so smooth and pleasurable. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold back. It all felt too good… "Starrk, oh kami!" Shunsui said in his ear before grinding against him, trying to get even deeper into his body. Starrk shuddered as the stimulation became unbearable.

"Yes!" He cried out as his orgasm rolled over him, his body tightening around the other man as he came in a rush. Starrk's head dropped back as he shuddered, his body and mind caught up in the pleasure. He was vaguely aware of Nanao's indrawn breath, Shunsui's heavy groan as he surged against him, filling him with liquid heat. Then warm lips found his throat and Starrk relaxed into the attention, enjoying every moment.

"Does that make you feel better, Starrk?" Shunsui murmured in his ear and Starrk closed his eyes for a moment before nodding.

"I feel so…" Relaxed. Warm. Loved? "Mmm, Shunsui." Starrk murmured as the other slowly separated from him. He just wanted to cuddle up but – there was a soft giggle and they both turned to look. His breath came faster as he observed a naked and very beautiful Nanao, her belly gently curved. If anything, he thought that evidence of his growing child made her lovelier.

"I hope the two of you have something left for me." She teased them gently and Starrk smiled as Shunsui laughed.

"I think you can count on that, Nanao-chan." He replied just as teasingly and they both descended on her, making her squeak and then relax into their hands. Starrk worked with Shunsui, concentrating on driving her wild.

It had only been a week but he was going to make up for lost time.

* * *

Nanao was only six months into her pregnancy when the twins suddenly decided to arrive.

"It's too soon…" She whimpered as they both hurried her to Szayel's lab. Starrk tried to reassure her although his belly was tight with apprehension.

"I'm a wolf type hollow. Canines have a different gestation rate…" Szayel hadn't mentioned that the cubs were developing quickly, though. That made him extremely afraid. And Unohana was frowning as she examined Nanao. Soon Szayel was rushing in and Starrk was forced to surrender her into their hands.

Banished to the waiting room, he paced as the woman he cared for gave birth. Not long after that, Shunsui arrived. He had been tending to clan business and missed the start of this, but a messenger had been sent to him.

"It's so early." He immediately said, concerned, and Starrk nodded morosely. Shunsui immediately read the fear in him and gently put an arm around him. "I'm sure they'll be fine, with Unohana and Szayel to help."

"I hope so." They had to be so small, so underdeveloped. Why had the babies chosen to come so soon?

It all was explained, though, after the birth. It took a scant three hours, incredibly short for a human birth… but long for a canine one. And when it was over, Unohana opened the door, smiling warmly.

"All is well. Do you want to see them?" She asked and the two men exchanged a surprised glance before nodding. She ushered them into the room where Nanao was holding his tiny offspring.

"…Oh. They're… fuzzy?" Shunsui said, confused, and Nanao looked up with a joyful smile. Starrk stared, his eyes wide as he remembered.

"Oh. Yes. That was what mine looked like." He said, dazed. The twin pups were covered in soft, downy fur. Their eyes were tightly closed and their canine ears were folded against their head. They had human arms and legs, but they had clearly taken after their hollow heritage in many ways. "So they were ready?" It looked like it to him. Szayel nodded, smiling at the first true hybrids to be born.

"Indeed. Their lungs and organs are fully formed. It seems they want to finish their development outside the womb." He said cheerfully and Starrk nodded, swallowing hard as he looked at his offspring. "A girl and a boy, just as we discussed. What are you naming them?"

"She is Pilar." Nanao said as Starrk just stared, too caught up in his emotions to reply. "And he is Lars. Starrk, did you want to hold them?" She asked and he blinked, coming out of his trance.

"Yes. I would love to hold them." He said huskily, gently taking Pia from her mother. The little one immediately squalled, unhappy at losing that comforting warmth. "Kyoraku Pilar." His own last name meant nothing to him and Shunsui and Nanao were married. The children might be his, but they would be counted part of the Kyoraku clan. The infant squirmed before settling against him, sensing something familiar and comforting in his scent.

"And Kyoraku Lars." Shunsui said with a smile as he took the other baby from Nanao. Lars just slept peacefully, unconcerned by the transition. Starrk wondered if they would always be so furry. He suspected it might fall off, in time. Right now he wasn't sure what the color of their hair would be… the fur was light grey but he suspected that would change as well. "Kami, they have tails!" Starrk blinked and looked carefully at little Pilar. The tail was so tiny he hadn't noticed it, stubby and extremely cute. He smiled, very amused by the sight. Then he gently returned the little one to her mother. Nanao smiled down at the infant, who snuggled up against her warmth.

"Thank you both so much." Starrk couldn't really articulate how much this meant to him. "…Lilinette's going to be so upset she missed this." He said with a smile. She was off with Juushiro, enjoying a trip to the market. Her penchant for long shopping trips had cost her, this time. Shunsui chuckled softly.

"She'll enjoy seeing them." He predicted before settling Lars back with his mother. They both watched as Nanao held them close. Starrk was reminded of Sanae, and his thoughts as he saw them together.

It was beautiful, seeing a new mother taking care of her pups.


	41. Freedom

"I really wish I wasn't a virgin right now." Starrk closed his eyes, wishing he could block out his sister's voice. "But you're wishing you hadn't beaten the crap out of that guy who tried to – "

"I was thirteen! And you're twelve. Shut up." He growled. "I regret nothing." The thought of being touched intimately by that disgusting bastard made him sick. And the thought of someone defiling his little sister enraged him. She scowled over her shoulder at him, unrepentant.

"Well I do! I'm only twelve!" She said and he slumped in his ropes, feeling the coarse fibers biting into his skin. "And you're nineteen! Why didn't you find a girl to fuck?"

"I… seriously, shut up." He wasn't about to explain to his little sister that he preferred men. It was meaningless anyway, at this point.

The two of them were tied together, back and back, waiting for the priests to finish the preparations. Starrk closed his eyes, trying to find calm. In retrospect, he should have suspected something when the two of them were chosen to be temple slaves. It was a somewhat exalted position, for a slave. Plenty of food and light work, along with the possibility of being freed and made into a novice, if spiritual power became evident. However, he and Lilinette were mongrels. Their mother was a woman of the old beast clans, a camp whore for the army. Their fathers were unknown and their mother had died when they were very young. Starrk could hardly remember her face, anymore.

He'd tried to steal to keep himself and Lilinette fed, but they were eventually snapped up and sold into slavery. That was when the temple had taken them. If Starrk had known what the priests had in mind, he would have tried much harder to escape. But regular meals, light work and the possibility of eventually becoming a priest had been appealing.

_So many things that will never happen._ Starrk looked up as one of the priests came to examine them. He looked at them like they were livestock, not human beings. There was nothing in his eyes but cold calculation.

"The man first." He pronounced and Lilinette sniffled as the temple guards behind him stepped up, one to either side. They cut him free of Lilinette, then lifted him. His feet were tied together, to prevent any escape attempts. He could not walk. They half carried, half dragged him to the altar that had been erected on the barely broken construction ground. Eventually, a new temple would be built here.

He was forced to his knees in front of the altar and a bowl of burning herbs was pressed to his lips. At first Starrk tried to refuse, for no real reason but spite. He didn't want to help the priests with their rituals. But then one of the guards pinched his nose closed and he had no choice but the breath the smoke.

It immediately went to his head and Starrk blinked, the world wobbling around him as the guards picked him up and placed him on the altar, face down. Oddly, his viewpoint seemed to shift until he was viewing himself from above. As it did, he was able to perceive something that astonished him and filled him with wonder.

_That was why they picked us._ Something about the herbs was opening him to the spiritual world and Starrk could see the power glowing beneath his own skin. He was every bit as strong or stronger than the priest who was putting a knee in his back and looping a golden rope around his neck. Lilinette was not as bright, but still very strong. Vaguely, he was aware of the pressure and pain, the panic as his air was cut off. He could see the pained grimace on his own face as the cord continued to tighten and the way his face smoothed out as consciousness fled.

As he fell into death, Starrk felt himself drawn back to his body, to a strange, empty void. He could vaguely feel small items being pressed to his skin, filled with power that burned and froze at the same time. Yet, the pain was distant compared to the sound of Lilinette's soft sobbing. That was the last thing he heard, as his body was placed in the grave that had already been prepared for it.

_I'm so sorry Lilinette._

* * *

It took some time, but the two ghosts freed themselves from their graves.

It was what they were meant to do and by the time they had forced their way past the first seal, they had changed. The magical bindings had been designed to wear away their humanity, transform them into something far more dangerous than a mere plus soul. So when they emerged, there were holes in their bodies and strange bones where no bones should be.

However, they were not true hollows. If they had been, they would have quickly starved to death and been no use at all. No, Starrk and Lilinette had been transformed into something that was like a hollow yet also a bit like a shinigami. They knew nothing of that, of course. All they knew was what the other bindings told them, and it was cause for despair.

They were temple guardians. Bound to their burial site, they would have to defend the new temple from any spiritual threats. And they did. No ghosts could get near them, no hollows could pass. More interesting attacks, like dream walking strangers, were also soundly destroyed. Starrk and Lilinette had no choice. It was what they were bound to do.

Some of the priests could see them but they had absolutely no desire to speak to their murderers. Starrk and Lilinette took to hanging out in the gardens, just enjoying the flowers and other blooms. They would often play in the grasses, chasing each other in an endless game of tag. And why not? They might be dead, but it didn't mean they should be unhappy.

Gradually, time passed. They both had no idea of how long. But eventually, destruction came to the temple. Starrk and Lilinette watched with interest as strangers armed with swords and crossbows tore the place apart and killed most of the priests, stealing their gold and jewels. They were bound to protect the temple from spiritual threats, not physical ones, so they did nothing but watch. Well, Lilinette jeered and laughed quite a bit. Starrk just smiled.

That didn't free them, though. They were still bound to their graves and the area surrounding them. So they continued their play, this time completely alone. It wasn't really any kind of difference.

Gradually, though, things changed. Buildings rose in the distance. Then the buildings gradually grew closer and closer. Eventually, building happened on the ground they were buried in… or rather, they tried. Starrk and Lilinette watched in fascination as every building they tried to erect on that particular plot had horrible problems. Eventually the humans… well, they didn't figure it out. They just got lucky and built a building that didn't happen to be directly on the burial plots. Those plots became part of a garden, just as they had been for the priests.

What was built was a beautiful manor house. The people living there had spiritual guardians, although they didn't know it. Starrk and Lilinette observed them closely and soon became fond of the children. They were a noble family and this was their home, still shiny and new.

In many ways, this was a good time for Starrk and Lilinette. No one could see them but that let them pry into things. The children were learning to read and write and Starrk, especially, found it fascinating. He sat in on all their lessons and encouraged Lilinette to do the same. When the family was safely in bed, they both practiced their own reading and writing. The reading was easy to clean up after – just put the books away – but the writing was a bit trickier. Several times, papers with their scrawls were found. But the family had many servants and it was easy to dismiss.

Eventually, things changed. The children grew up and left the house. Then the manor was passed on to the eldest son, who came to live there and brought his family. The home continued passing hands for several generations, before it was owned by an old woman without children. She left it to her relatives but when they came to see it, they brought a realtor. Starrk and Lilinette listened as they talked about selling it.

For a time, things were quite boring. The manor stood empty as strangers looked at it and the grounds. Some spoke of tearing it down and building a shopping plaza, which made Starrk and Lilinette exchange glances. While they wouldn't mind, exactly – what would they see in such a place? – their burial plots would be a huge issue. They didn't really want these people to suffer misfortune. Yet, there was nothing they could do, no warning they could give. Or was there?

Lilinette was the one who thought to leave a note for the realtor. Starrk was the one who thought of putting up stakes, delineating the area that was unsafe. The next day they spotted the realtor examining the stakes with a frown. They weren't sure if she took them seriously – she didn't discuss it where they could hear – but the house was finally sold to someone who didn't want to tear it down.

The mansion was very large and the new buyers turned out to be Buddhist monks. They repurposed the place to be a monastery, which amused the two guardian ghosts. The land was a temple again, although a very different type. These peaceful men would never have resorted to such bloody sacrifices.

For a time, everything was very peaceful. But then things began changing again.

"I don't like this. I don't like it at all." Starrk muttered, examining the ground in front of him. He was well outside the monastery. The area they were bound to protect did not follow the building exactly. Until now, though, the irregular area had only included portions of some surrounding homes and shops.

"Hey, it means we can go further, right?" Lilinette said and Starrk grimaced, running a hand through his hair.

"Yes but…" Their area was expanding. Many nearby houses were included now. "Why is this happening?" Starrk said under his breath, glancing back at their burial plots. He could see the energies clearly now, just as he had before his death. "The power is increasing, but why?" Their burial plot glowed with spiritual energy. It always had but now it was stronger, much stronger. Starrk honestly feared it. How far could it go? Lilinette shrugged.

"Nothin' we can do." Was her opinion and he nodded grimly. They could only see to their new territory.

That was tragic for them. In the old times, any spiritual wanderers into the temple typically meant it ill. Starrk and Lilinette had no desire to help the priests but also didn't regret the deaths.

The spiritual forces that swirled around now, though, had no idea. Starrk and Lilinette didn't know that their blade was purifying the ghosts and hollows who came too close. They just knew they were killing, over and over. And it got worse when a stranger in black robes attacked them. He died very easily, not understanding the power he was facing.

After that, the strangers in black robes became more common. Two more fell to them before a more powerful one, a woman, tried to kill them. However, she was very fortunate. She was strong enough to withstand their initial attack and Starrk knocked her outside of their area, not by accident. He could at least direct his attacks, even if he was bound to strike with full force. The two guardian spirits watched as she pulled herself from the ruins of a building, coughing and shaking. She saw them watching her and raised her sword, summoning another ice attack. Starrk and Lilinette just retreated. As long as she was outside their territory, they did not want to fight. She did not follow.

After that, though, another stranger came. This one had long white hair and fought them with skill much greater than the others. Starrk had to fight hard, dredging up every bit of skill he owned. While the two guardian spirits had never been formally trained, they had fought countless times and had developed their own technique.

They didn't talk to the stranger because he didn't speak to them. He did seem rather confused at the little girl, particularly when Starrk merged with her and began fighting with energy blasts, fired from his claws. Together, they took a form reminiscent of their mother's tribe… a powerful man covered in fur, shaggy and barbaric.

Starrk was being very careful not to damage the surrounding buildings. It was part of his binding, although he would have likely done it anyway. The stranger was not quite so mindful. The blast of blue Starrk directed at him absorbed and thrown back, to his shock. He managed to dodge because he was just that fast… but then realized it was going to hit a building that he knew housed a young family.

"No!" He leapt back into the path of the beam, taking it fully across the chest. It blasted him back and he put every bit of energy he had into not hitting the house, Lilinette helping him. He just barely managed to halt himself… just in time to see a sword heading for his head.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

That wasn't the end, of course.

It had never happened before but Starrk and Lilinette were unsurprised to find themselves forcing their way past the first seal again. When they were finally out, Lilinette was cursing profusely and Starrk was feeling frazzled. Getting past that seal was not very pleasant and it was definitely time consuming.

Well, by mortal standards at least. He and Lilinette were quite reassured to find that only a week had passed while they were trapping in their graves. That was nothing! As soon as they were free, though, they had to resume their duties. The binding commanded it.

For many months, nothing interesting happened. Then the woman in black came into their territory again and, yet again, Starrk knocked her out of the area. Lilinette laughed at the shocked look on her face and Starrk wondered what the white haired man would think, when she reported what had happened to her.

He didn't have to wait long to find out. He and Lilinette felt the familiar power, flanked by another, equally great power. Exchanging a resigned glance, they went out to meet the two. If the fight happened at the edge of their territory perhaps they could knock them out like the woman and avoid fighting further. It wasn't likely, but you never knew. And even if they failed, the monastery would at least be spared.

Starrk and Lilinette stopped on the edge of their territory, watching as the two strangers drew their swords. Lilinette picked her nose as Starrk crossed his arms, just waiting for them to attack or come closer. However, they did nothing. Waiting for him to make the first move?

"If you're waiting for us to attack, you will be waiting a very long time." Starrk said idly as Lilinette laughed. Despite their 'death', they had no intention of acting until they were forced to.

"No? But you attack everyone so mercilessly." The second man said. He was holding a long sword and a short sword in the ready position. That was threatening, but the rest of him made Starrk smile a little. Pink had not been a common color when he'd been alive. And the straw hat he was wearing was very… cute. Yes, cute. In fact he was cute in general –

"OI!" Starrk snapped out of his trance with a flinch as a very hard foot hit his thigh. "Stop thinking about balling him Starrk! I don't care if he's your type!"

"Lilinette!" He yelped, horrified. "I don't – you just – stop that!" He did NOT want to go into his sexuality with these two. Running a hand through his hair, he turned his attention back to the strangers in black. "You have not entered our territory. We are not bound to attack you until you do." The two of them exchanged a glance and Starrk could sense the disbelief and wariness in them both, although their faces showed very little sign.

"Really. You claim you are somehow being forced to attack shinigami?" The man with the hat asked and Starrk sighed. Lilinette was the one who answered.

"Shinigami? Death gods? You think highly of yourselves, don't you?" She said, amused. It was the first time they'd found out what the spirits in black called themselves. The man in pink just shrugged with a small smile, cautiously lowering his weapons. The man with white hair followed suit, frowning slightly. "Nah, not you guys in particular. We attack EVERYTHING spiritual. Ghosts, ghosts with holes, spirit walking shamans, you guys… doesn't matter. We kill them all because that's what we got to do." She shrugged and the man with white hair spoke.

"Why haven't we run into you until recently?" He asked and Starrk frowned as Lilinette grimaced. They both could guess the answer to that.

"Our territory has been expanding. We don't know why." Starrk said quietly. "It began perhaps three years ago. The power in our bindings is increasing and demanding that we patrol a larger area." Then he shrugged. "As the area grows, chances for contact increase. Until recently, our area was small." Now it was getting rather large.

"When Karakura town began becoming the Jureichi." The man with white hair muttered. Starrk had no idea what he was going on about. Jureichi? "Surely there is someone you must let pass?"

"Oh, yes." Starrk said bleakly and Lilinette scowled blackly. "The priests who bound us here. Fortunately, they no longer exist. They were all killed." He knew there was dark satisfaction, an echo of black hate in his voice and face. The two across from them certainly caught it and the man in pink pulled his hat down, shading his eyes as he spoke.

"This binding was not voluntary?" He asked and they both laughed. The sound was jagged and bitter, filled with ancient pain.

"FUCK no! We were child sacrifices." Lilinette said frankly as Starrk put a hand on her shoulder, holding her close. The man with white hair stared at her, horrified, as the man in pink just kept his hat over his eyes. "Starrk's my brother. We were slaves. They bound us here, made us like this. Temple guardians forever and ever."

"The temple was destroyed a very long time ago. No one remembers our people or the religions we followed. Yet, we remain." Starrk said sadly and the shinigami swallowed. The man in pink looked up then and Starrk felt a deep sadness. Because despite his attraction, he instinctively distrusted the man. Something about his eyes reminded him of the priests. Something cold and calculating, despite the surface of warmth.

"You will regenerate, if you're killed?" He asked and they both nodded. "Is there any way to free you?"

"Yes…" Starrk said slowly, watching the man carefully. He thought the way he'd phrased that had been deliberately meant to appeal to them. "However, I don't see how you could use it." They both waited and Starrk sighed before explaining. "We are bound to our graves. Our bodies are covered in runes, meant to bind us in place. Dig us up and remove the bindings, and we shall be free." Free to die. Starrk knew precisely what was going through their minds. He felt Lilinette's hand gripping his and knew she saw it, too.

But he kept his expression a little sad and very serious, not betraying his awareness. These two shinigami probably thought they were fooling him completely. They were both old and very subtle, but Starrk had observed such things before. And if he'd had any faith in the fairness of the world, it had been shattered by his death. He'd given the priests his trust and it had been the worst mistake of his life. He would not make such a mistake a second time.

"Yet you will attack us if we enter your area." The man in pink said and Starrk nodded. Then he was surprised as the stranger smiled cheerfully. "Hardly a problem! Can you meet us on the ground, down at… hmm, that intersection?" He pointed and Starrk followed his finger, confused. "In two days time?"

"I… yes, that's within our boundaries." He said, still confused. "But I will have to attack you." This made no sense. The man chuckled as the white haired man smiled.

"Oh, I don't think so! Just wait and see." He promised before vanishing in a burst of speed. The other shinigami followed and the two guardian spirits could only watch them go, mystified and confused.

These two were very strange.

* * *

"…" Starrk stared at the two men loitering under a lamppost. They were relaxed and chatting with each other. They had two more strapping young men with them, who looked tense and unsettled. They were carrying four sets of shovels.

"The hell is this?" Lilinette muttered and Starrk blinked, shaking his head.

"They have bodies of flesh?" He hazarded. Perhaps that was it. Priests often went dream walking, leaving their bodies behind. Still, he'd been sure the shinigami were entirely spiritual. A dream walking spirit had a distinct flavor that they lacked. Putting aside the strangeness, he and Lilinette went to greet them.

"Ah, there you are!" The man in… well, not pink at the moment, said. Right now he was dressed in blue jeans and a long sleeved, black sweater. Starrk looked at his hair, enjoying the sweep of the bang and the rugged handsomeness of his face. It was sad but Lilinette was right. This man was nearly his ideal in terms of masculine attractiveness. "Starrk, was it?"

"Yes. This is Lilinette." He gently rested a hand on her helmet before frowning. "What are your names?" He should at least know, even if he and Lilinette would be forced to kill them in the end. The more attractive one smiled at him winningly.

"I'm Kyoraku Shunsui. This is Ukitake Juushiro." He introduced his friend and Starrk examined him thoughtfully. Ukitake wasn't really his cup of tea… too slight and no beard. Still, he had kind eyes and a gentle smile. Yet there was also something watchful there. Starrk smiled back but inwardly sighed. He knew better than to trust them but it still hurt. "Will you show us the way?"

"Yeah, sure." Lilinette said and skipped off, Starrk following behind. It didn't take them long to lead the shinigami to the monastery. They were both a bit surprised to see the place they were breaking into, but asked no questions. Before too long the four of them were at the burial plot. There was a rather lovely bonsai tree planted over it. "Too bad about that tree but you gotta do what you gotta do, right?"

"Yes, sadly. How deeply are you buried?" Kyoraku asked but Starrk could only shrug. Lilinette was more informative.

"Who knows? D'you know how long it's been? Deep enough that the priests didn't have to be worried about scavengers getting at us, that's all I know." Lilinette said and Starrk nodded. The two young men were already digging, putting their backs into it. Their elders exchanged a glance before following.

It took most of the night, but they finally found the skeletons. The white haired man brought out Lilinette's first. The skeleton was oddly intact, staying together even as he lifted it out of the burial plot. Starrk and Lilinette both saw the sadness on his face as he set the small bones down on the ground.

"Now, you must remove the runes." Starrk said before offering the shinigami a small smile. "They are gold, by the way." And they were not small. Juushiro looked up at both of them, his eyes wide, and they could sense the sudden interest of the other diggers.

"Gold? Why?" He asked and Starrk and Lilinette both laughed.

"Because gold don't rust or tarnish. Gold is eternal and so are we." Lilinette told him and he swallowed before nodding. Then he gripped the small medallions and began removing them, one by one. There were many of them.

Then Shunsui found his body. Starrk turned to watch as the man lifted out the second skeleton, as oddly intact as the first. The one thing he truly noticed with the little pendant he'd worn around his neck, a broken wolf's tooth on a leather string. He'd have expected that to rot away but it hadn't, somehow. Reaching up, he touched the spiritual version. It had always stayed with him although they'd changed their spiritual clothing with the times. Kyoraku set the bones on the ground and began removing the golden seals, his expression set.

It wasn't long after that that everything went wrong for the shinigami. As soon as the two spirits were freed, Juushiro and Shunsui used soul candies to leave their gigai. They expected the two ghosts to be caught off guard, surprised by their treachery.

It was exactly the opposite. Starrk pounced during the brief moment of disorientation, as the souls left their bodies. He attacked Kyoraku and Lilinette distracted Ukitake. There was a brief flash of wide grey eyes, a series of blows that culminated in the shinigami ending up on the ground with a sword pressed very firmly against his throat.

"Drop your weapons or he dies." Starrk stated calmly, staring at the grimacing man under his sword. He would do it, although he would deeply regret it. He heard a sword hitting the ground. The other two shinigami had retreated, to his senses. They were still in their gigai and unimportant. "Lilinette?"

"Right! What should I do with them?" She asked and Starrk smiled, a slight curve of his lips.

"Throw them into the koi pond." That would take some time for the shinigami to retrieve their weapons. The man beneath him tried to smile and Starrk eased up a tiny bit, pulling back the tip of his sword. He didn't want to accidentally kill the man.

"How cruel of you, Starrk-san!" He said jokingly and Starrk lifted his eyebrows.

"No, cruel is attempting to kill us the instant we were free." He corrected. Then his voice became rough as his eyes narrowed. "Did you think we wouldn't see what you had in mind? You're just like the priests. Warm on the surface and cold beneath, looking at us like nothing but objects. Livestock." He said it with bitter anger and the shinigami beneath him swallowed. "Well, we are not _things _to be disposed of as you will, Kyoraku Shunsui." Lilinette came back and he cautiously pulled his sword away. Then he turned aside, intending to leave.

"Wait! Where are you going to go?" Juushiro asked urgently and Starrk just looked at him for a moment before shrugging.

"Anywhere." He had no plans. Then the man in the kimono spoke, just as urgently.

"What will you do?" He asked and Lilinette laughed. The sound was young and free.

"Everything!" Starrk laughed as well and they both vanished in a burst of speed. Going nowhere and everywhere.

At last, they were free.


	42. Freedom - Part 2

"Damn." Shunsui said whimsically, watching as their two subordinates searched the koi pond for their lost zanpakuto. Really, things like this were what minions were for. "Yama-jii is going to be quite upset with us." Not only had they failed to purify the dangerous hollows, they'd been completely bamboozled. Shunsui felt almost proud of them. When was the last time he'd been taken in so completely?

"Genryusai-sensai will be irritated." Juushiro agreed, looking almost relieved. Shunsui knew exactly why. Hollows normally never looked like children. Purifying a child one had sat ill with him, as necessary as it might be.

And it was necessary. As human-like as the two seemed, they were still hollows. They had holes and bones and had clearly demonstrated their power and willingness to kill. Well… perhaps not, if you believed their story of being bound. But Yamamoto didn't entirely believe it, not really. Shunsui reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden medallion, examining the surface. It was engraved with a rune, something he didn't recognize at all. And it was filled with spiritual power. How long had the spirits been bound here?

"Should we do anything with the bodies?" He asked, glancing back at the skeletons. Juushiro turned to look, his gaze falling on the smaller one. His shoulders slumped a bit at the sight of those little bones.

"Yes, let's rebury them." He said after a moment and Shunsui nodded. He wasn't willing to get wet, but he would show respect for the dead. The skeletons, when they touched them, suddenly began coming to pieces. They had to pick up the bones individually and drop them into the graves. Then they began refilling the plot. The monks would notice that someone had been digging but there was no help for that. "I wonder what they will do?"

"I doubt they even know." Shunsui really had no idea what the rogue spirits would be up to. Hopefully, it would be nothing too destructive. They were easily as strong as a taichou, which was a bit frightening. As he worked, he vaguely wondered if they would meet again. The sight of the man's face, his sad and thoughtful grey eyes, flashed through his mind. Shunsui shook his head and continued to work.

It didn't matter how attractive the man was. He was still a hollow.

* * *

For several years, Starrk and Lilinette did nothing and everything.

The two powerful ghosts wandered randomly, exploring the Living World. They hitched a ride on the top of the bullet train and made their way to Tokyo. They explored parks, watched movies, even sat in on some classes at Tokyo University. They went to Disneyland Tokyo and had fun grabbing empty spots on the rides, or even just holding onto them from the outside. They couldn't be hurt by a fall, after all. What was the harm in it?

They explored all over Japan, but did not leave the island. The two ghosts did not truly understand plane travel and it wasn't easy to observe, unlike the trains. Eventually, they made their way back to Karakura town. They'd had a great deal of fun but the ambient power was stronger there and it just felt right. Also, there was a much greater concentration of ghosts and other spirits there. While that could be troublesome – they had to avoid the shinigami – it meant there were spirits they could talk to. Starrk and Lilinette made a few friends among the ghosts before settling back in at the monastery, claiming an old storage room as their own.

"Oi, Starrk?" He froze in the act of perusing a magazine. Lilinette had gone off to steal some candy from the convenience store. They could eat and they enjoyed it, although they needed no sustenance. He'd thought it would take her much, much longer to get back. "I got some whoppers for you. Hey, what're you looking at?"

"Nothing!" He said too quickly and Lilinette's remaining eye narrowed as she picked up on the lie. She immediately dropped her candy and snatched the magazine out of his hands. "LILINETTE!" He tried to grab it back but she evaded him. As she did, the centerfold fell open.

"…Oh. Um." Lilinette looked at it for a long moment and Starrk put a hand over his face. "He's pretty hot. Hey, can I borrow this?" Starrk froze at the thought.

"No! That's so horribly wrong!" He tried to grab it from her and caught it. Soon they were fighting over the magazine and naturally, it shredded. "Damn it Lilinette! I stole that from the porn shop!"

"There's a porn shop!? Where?" She demanded and Starrk groaned. "Damnit Starrk! I'm never growing up and I was just hitting puberty when this happened! I wanna learn how to wank!"

"That requires teaching? Ow!" The broken magazine was slapped over his head. "Fine, I'll take you to the porn shop." He muttered. Honestly, things like this made Starrk almost glad they were dead. He didn't have to worry about his sister being used and abused by some dirtball of a boy. "You are such a trial." Really, how many brothers had to take their sisters to a porn shop? Starrk was willing to bet the answer was one and it was him. Lilinette scowled.

"Yeah? You're a pain in the ass too Starrk! It's still night, come on, let's go!" She dragged him off and Starrk sighed as he went.

How absolutely mortifying.

* * *

"This book is great."

"Don't tell me about it. Please." Starrk had no interest in the female body anyway. A book entitled 'everything a girl needs to know about sex' was absolutely not his thing. "…What is that?" The power he was sensing was… strange. Not ghost-without-a-hole, not shinigami, not anything he recognized. And as old as they were, that was unusual.

"Don't know, don't care." Lilinette was absorbed in her book. "Go find out if you're all interested. I'm staying here." They were in their little hideaway. Starrk rolled his eyes.

"Fine." Leaving the storage room, he ventured across the city, keeping his reiatsu carefully concealed. Once it had been part of his binding – the priests preferred to sucker enemies in – but now he had to do it himself. For Starrk and Lilinette, restraining their power was becoming habitual.

It almost let him sneak up on the person he was tracking. Almost, but not quite. Starrk watched in fascination as he saw a figure in white unleashing arrows – arrows? – on a ghost with a hole. It vanished and he blinked. Something about the vanishing seemed strange to him.

"Who's there?" Starrk blinked again as he realized the man in white had detected him. Well, a boy really. He was spiritually powerful and the immortal spirit was always in search of friends, so he slipped out cautiously. The stranger readied his bow before pausing with a frown. "…What are you?" His gaze lingered on Starrk's hole and bones before travelling up to his face. He hesitated for a moment before shrugging.

"There's no real name for what I am. Once, I was a temple guardian. Now I'm free." He said honestly. "What are you? Your power is different." Like nothing he'd ever seen or felt before. The boy frowned, reaching up to adjust his glasses. Starrk noticed his black hair looked very silky and felt a bit of attraction. Although overall, the other man was not his type.

"I am a Quincy." He said, which meant nothing to Starrk. He tilted his head before asking another question.

"Is that like a shinigami?" He asked innocently, hiding his own calculation. If these 'Quincy' were affiliated with the shinigami, he would leave immediately. The boy barked a short laugh. It sounded angry to the ghosts' ears.

"Hardly!" The young man regarded him thoughtfully for a moment. "Have you encountered shinigami?" He asked and Starrk had the sense that he was feeling him out. Well, perhaps it was time to lay his cards on the table.

"Yes. Two of them freed us from our bonds, so they could kill us." He said frankly and the boy frowned. "You see, as long as we were bound we would regenerate from any injuries, even death. They wanted to destroy us." Starrk allowed his anger to enter his voice and the young man across from him nodded slowly.

"I think perhaps we have something in common. The Quincy were almost eradicated by the shinigami. I'm one of the last." He said with more than a trace of bitterness in his voice. Starrk really wasn't too surprised. "I am Ishida Uryu. And you are?"

"Coyote Starrk. I also have a sister, Lilinette Gingerbuck." He said, feeling almost comfortable now. "I prefer to be called Starrk but she goes by Lilinette." It was a bit odd. Coyote was actually his given name but it had reminded people of their mongrel heritage, so he'd used Starrk. And Lilinette's last name came from the man their mother reckoned was likely her father. Starrk vaguely remembered him. His own father had never been part of his life and Lilinette's had died in battle before their mother had passed.

"Well, I'm glad to meet you. Although if I see you preying on any plus souls, I will not hesitate to destroy you." Ishida said and Starrk appreciated the honesty of it. He could tell the boy meant every word.

"Despite my hole, I do not need to feed." Starrk glanced down at the opening in his chest. He knew it must mean he was something like the ghosts with holes, but they all seemed mindless and desperate to feed on souls. Also, their bones were not the tiny little remnants he and Lilinette possessed. "As I said, I don't really know what I am." It was curious. Ishida shook his head.

"I couldn't tell you and I think it might be better not to introduce you to my father." He said and Starrk vaguely wondered what his father was like. "Well, it has been nice to meet you but I should be going home."

"Perhaps I will see you again." Starrk said politely as they parted ways.

Over the next year, he and Lilinette occasionally met Uryu. He was interested to find out that they could alter their spiritual clothing with just their thoughts, and suggested many things they could try. He also suggested that, perhaps, they could alter their power into different forms as well. That intrigued the two ghosts and they went into the woods to try it. That was what led them to shaping their energy into guns and wolves, rather than the simple beast-man they had been before. They invited Ishida one time and did a bit of cautious sparring. Cautious because they needed to keep their power muffled so the shinigami wouldn't notice.

When Grimmjow came to Karakura town, Starrk and Lilinette slept through the whole thing. They only heard about it when Uryu sought them out.

"There seem to be other hollows like you." The young man said and they both blinked, exchanging a surprised glance. "They're called arrancar. Would you be willing to be examined? My father has agreed to help."

"How did you learn about this? What is going on?" Starrk wondered and Ishida frowned for a moment, adjusting his glasses.

"It's rather a long story. If you would be willing to be examined while I tell it?" He said and Starrk considered it before nodding. It was Lilinette who put their thoughts into words.

"Yeah, we trust you." Uryu seemed honest and open to them, unlike the two shinigami they'd first encountered. Of course, he was very young. He did not yet know how cruel the world could be. Starrk wasn't concerned about his father, either. He didn't think any father would be cruel enough to kill his son's friends in front of him.

He almost revised that opinion when he met Ishida Ryuuken. The man seemed as cold as a midwinter's night, to the two guardian spirits. But Uryu reassured them and soon they were submitting to various scans. As Ryuuken worked, Uryu explained the situation. He started with Rukia and Soul Society, then Aizen and the Hogyoku.

"Wow, shinigami are awesome aren't they? I'm starting to hate those guys." Lilinette groused as Starrk shrugged fatalistically. "Come on Starrk, they're dicks! Just because you thought that one guy was really cute…"

"Stuff it Lilinette." Starrk said tiredly. "Must you always make fun of me for liking men? I don't mock you for being a child pervert." He said and she shoved him in the shoulder with a scowl.

"Ahem." They both immediately started behaving at Ryuuken's quiet reminder. He was really extremely intimidating. "Can you please tell me how you were formed, in the beginning?" They both exchanged a glance and Lilinette bit her lip as Starrk closed his eyes in pain.

"From the beginning?" He wished they could skip that part. But Ryuuken nodded, his expression firm. "…Very well." His tone emotionless, he detailed the circumstances of their deaths. They both saw Uryu swallow and a flicker of some emotion cross Ryuuken's face. It was gone too fast for them to read it, though. Then Starrk detailed how they forced their way from the first seal and emerged changed.

"Can you describe this seal to me, as well as you can?" The Quincy asked and Starrk and Lilinette did their best. It was actually rather good, since they'd experienced it twice as well as seeing it from the outside. "Intriguing. So it seems the Hogyoku is not required to create arrancar."

"What is an arrancar, exactly? We've always wondered what we are." Lilinette asked and Uryu did his best to explain. "Hueco Mundo? Could we go there and meet these guys?" There was hope in her voice but Starrk frowned as Uryu looked very troubled.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He said before either of the Quincy could speak. "Their leader is a rogue shinigami who clearly has the moral sense of a cow turd." The made Uryu blink and Ryuuken almost cracked a smile. "He would likely try to recruit us on pain of death." Starrk could definitely imagine it and didn't think it would go well. Lilinette scowled.

"Fuck that! …Will we be safe here?" She said in concern and Starrk smiled at her.

"I'm sure we are. The other shinigami will prevent him from coming for us, if he even knows about us." Starrk wondered if he did. All the shinigami might not have been informed about them. "We don't have to be part of this at all." He saw no real reason to become involved.

"My philosophy as well. I am only doing this for my son, and because he thinks you would be reluctant to be examined by the shinigami with the candy shop." Ryuuken said and Starrk grimaced as Lilinette laughed.

"We know that guy! He put out some Starrk-bait, it worked great." She said approvingly and he groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "That really big dude with all the muscles was sunbathing and – "

"Lilinette! Stop telling them." He snapped at her, flustered. "You make me sound desperate." Although he was really. Plus souls were uninterested in sex and even if the hollows hadn't been too stupid, Starrk wasn't THAT desperate. All the other spiritually aware beings he'd met had either been uninterested or hostile, and that included Uryu. Starrk had cautiously felt him out before deciding he was not into men.

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm feeling a bit desperate and I'm not even growing! That really pisses me off. Why am I a kid forever and ever?" She said and Starrk sighed, glancing at the two Quincy. Ryuuken was ignoring them, just checking his readings while Uryu was looking a bit pained.

"Because there is some mercy in the world – OW!" She'd just punched him right in the gut. "Lilinette." He protested mildly. She just made a small 'hmmphing' sound. Ryuuken looked up from his papers, gazing at them thoughtfully for a moment.

"I will need some time to analyze this. Could you come back in perhaps a week?" He asked and they immediately consented. They were curious to see what he would find.

The next week, Uryu began introducing them to some of his other friends. He pointedly excluded any true shinigami but soon Starrk and Lilinette knew Orihime, Sado, Keigo and a few others. The lesbian girl made Lilinette giggle and rendered Starrk slightly speechless. The main one they hadn't managed to meet was Kurosaki Ichigo, largely because of the shinigami he tended to hang out with. Starrk and Lilinette were not remotely interested in letting the shinigami know they were back in town.

It all became moot, though, when they got very unlucky.

"OK, lower me slowly… slowly…" Lilinette said and Starrk grimaced as he carefully gripped her ankles, lowering her through the dropped tile ceiling. Of course, in the real world such a ceiling could not support the weight of a mouse, let alone an arrancar. In the fantasy world of Lilinette's imagination, along with their power to fly, it worked.

This was a very expensive tea shop and Lilinette was in the process of stealing them some sweets. The two thieving spirits completely missed the group of girls watching the goings-on in a petrified fashion. Orihime knew who they were, of course. And she knew that Rangiku and Rukia weren't supposed to know. Alas, Rukia recognized them instantly.

"Them. I have to report this to Ukitake taichou!" She said, not quite under her breath. Inoue heard and quickly gestured to her.

"No, no! They're not with Aizen." She tried to reassure her friend, not knowing that Rukia was well aware of that. Her meetings with the temple guardians predated Aizen's plots by several years. "They're really quite friendly. Um… and nice… although they are stealing." She finished weakly as Lilinette managed to grab what she wanted… a fancy cream cheese danish with almond brittle topping and an elegant little marzipan and jam tart with real whipped cream. Then Starrk lifted her up and she vanished into the ceiling, which was carefully shoved back into place. The woman working the counter didn't notice a thing.

"Wait, you know them?" Rangiku asked. She knew nothing at all about the two arrancar. Rukia had been ordered to stay quiet about it and Shunsui and Juushiro were also not prone to babbling. Orihime tried valiantly to save the situation.

"Yes! It's such a sad story! They were just children when they were murdered and turned into arrancar ghosts." She said. Rukia was less than sympathetic. "They were forced to kill anyone who came intruded – "

"They killed three shinigami and tried to kill me twice. And Ukitake taichou." She interrupted and Rangiku frowned. Orihime wilted a little before rallying.

"They couldn't help it! The bindings made them. Now they're very sweet. They're good friends with Uryu and they've been letting Ryuuken examine them… he's given his information to Kisuke… please don't get them in trouble? Please?" Inoue pleaded with her friends, who exchanged a glance.

"I must speak to them and find out what they're doing here." Rukia said after a moment and Matsumoto giggled, startling them both. They stared at her and she smiled cheerfully.

"Stealing danishes and tarts." She said and Rukia glared as Inoue also giggled. But then, Rukia was the only one who had faced them in combat. To Rangiku, who had only seen Lilinette hanging from a ceiling by her ankles, they seemed less than threatening.

After that, Ichigo got an earful about the 'dangerous spirits', which his other friends had to struggle to counteract. Eventually, Uryu led them to the two ghosts. Or rather, tried to. They were inside the change rooms of a swimming pool. He had to fetch them out. When he did, Starrk was bright red and Lilinette was giggling wildly.

"What were you doing in the mens' change room?" Uryu asked severely when they were outside and Starrk just stuttered as Lilinette grinned.

"We plead the Fifth!" She said cheerfully as Starrk hid his face. "Hey that must be – OH SHIT!" She yelped and Starrk lifted his face to see Rukia glaring at them. "Run!"

"No, wait!" Ichigo yelped. Uryu had anticipated the problem, though, and Starrk and Lilinette both went down in a tangle as they were caught in a web of blue power. "…How did you do that?" Ichigo asked as Starrk whimpered something incoherent and Lilinette cursed. Uryu adjusted his glasses.

"I need a few secrets, Ichigo. She's not here to harm you." He assured the ghosts just as Starrk focused his power and began tearing free of their bonds. "They just want to talk to you."

"She's one of the shinigami who attacked us." Lilinette said warily. Rukia immediately bristled.

"Excuse me? YOU attacked ME!" She said sharply, which was true as far as it went. Starrk finished with the blue power and the two ghosts pulled themselves free. But they didn't flee. Their trust in Uryu went that far.

"Not because we wanted to." Starrk replied as she continued to glower. "You should know that." They'd made it clear to her taichou and besides… "We stopped attacking as soon as you were outside our area. Twice." Each time, she'd been allowed to flee. "Why don't we call it a wash?"

"I'm not sure why I would." Rukia muttered but Ichigo got in on things.

"Uryu says you're not really arrancar?" He asked and Starrk shrugged before nodding. Ryuuken had checked them over quite thoroughly and had deemed them a very odd form of plus soul. He had no real arrancar to compare them to but just judging from the spiritual energies he'd recorded during Grimmjow's attack, Starrk and Lilinette were not the same.

"His father says we're more shinigami in nature. Our swords act like zanpakuto, actually purifying hollows and giving ghosts a form of konso." That had been a bit of a relief to them. Rukia's eyes widened at the information, though.

"It's probably because we're single souls. We're not soul collections." Lilinette put in and Starrk nodded. "Never eaten a soul in our lives. We do look like arrancar, though, and we've definitely got the same abilities. We've just got shinigami ones too."

"Right. But who are you?" Starrk asked and Uryu stepped in, introducing them. "Oh, I've heard of you." Everyone had mentioned Kurosaki Ichigo.

"I want to know why I didn't know about you until now." Ichigo sounded mildly resentful and Starrk shrugged as Lilinette pointed at Rukia.

"Duh, because you hang out with her and everyone knows we're on the outs with the shinigami. Oh, tell your captain he's a dick!" She said, sticking out her tongue at Rukia. Rukia stuck hers out right back and Starrk chuckled softly, resting hand on Lilinette's helmet.

"Children." He said, amused, and both of them scowled at him. Then Ichigo spoke up again.

"What are you planning to do?" He asked, staring at the two arrancar. "Are you going to side with Aizen?" He asked suspiciously and Starrk yawned as Lilinette sneered. His smaller half answered.

"Yeah right! He sounds as trustworthy as a wind vane in a hurricane shaped like a rabbit." She said, which made Starrk and Uryu both smile. "Fuck that guy. We're just staying right here, playing around and spying on guys in change rooms –"

"Lilinette! Must you?" Starrk yelped, horrified. She scowled at him.

"Like they couldn't guess! What else would we be doing in there anyway?" She asked and Starrk couldn't think of an answer. It didn't help that everyone was sniggering at him. Even Rukia was smiling. "And as long as we're here he can't get at us. You shinigami are kind of protecting us." That was true. Any force strong enough to take on the two ghosts would also draw a great deal of attention, since they would not go quietly. Rukia frowned before nodding slightly.

"Very well. But we'll be watching you." She warned and Ichigo scowled at them. The two ghosts exchanged a resigned look. It seemed that Kurosaki Ichigo was not really going to be one of their friends. He was too invested in the shinigami beside him and wasn't willing to trust them at all. Still, they could live with that.

"If you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone. But tell your taichou and his friend that we do not want to see them again." Starrk said firmly, trying to ignore the ache in his chest. Why did he always feel it when he thought about that man in pink? It was very foolish.

Starrk did not believe in love at first sight. But sometimes, that nagging ache made him wonder.


	43. What is Beauty

This was partly inspired by One Moment by The Dream Whisperer, which was in turn inspired by my work. We have a mutual admiration thing going. ^_^ There will be more but… do you guys want a happy ending or not? I have two ideas and one is depressing.

* * *

_I have done the wrong thing._

He stood over the body, looking at the empty grey eyes and the rapidly cooling flesh. His hands tightened on the swords of blue reishi in his hands, feeling the power snarling in them. Had he truly done this? Had he just taken a life, with his own will and hands? The blue power of his swords had burned the blood away but he could feel it on his uniform. The thin fabric was sticking to his skin. It made him feel sick.

_This is a dream. This is not real. I cannot have done this…_ He swallowed and blinked, feeling bile in the back of his throat. He knew, in the back of his mind, that it was absurd for a hollow to feel this way. He'd killed thousands, millions of other hollows merely by existing. But that was the point. It had happened because he existed and because he could not stop it. It had never happened because he'd been holding a weapon and chosen to use it.

"Ah, Starrk." Warm arms slid around him, finding the wetness of his uniform and playing with the fabric. There was hot breath in his ear, so hot it was almost searing. "You are so beautiful like this, covered in blood, sweat and tears." Aizen's voice murmured and he blinked.

"I am?" He said, wondering if that could be true. Was there a kind of beauty in such horror, a grace in pain? But if Aizen said it, it must be true. And his god had told him that his pain was beautiful before. Yet, he had meant the pain of his body, the blood of his own wounds. Strangely, he found that easier to tolerate than the blood of someone else. "I am… glad to have pleased you, Aizen-sama." That was the right response. There was a laugh behind him and he was being shoved down, too close to that still warm body. Yet, he went with grace, kneeling before his lord and master.

"Let me show you how beautiful you are." A hand gripped his hair, pulling his head back and exposing the column of his throat. Starrk reached for Lilinette but he still could not find her. Was she gone forever? Had the taichou somehow destroyed her? That thought caused him immense pain and yet, the guilt over the man's death still remained. "Starrk. Are you paying attention to me?" There was danger there and Starrk blinked, refocusing his single eye.

"Of course, Aizen-sama." He said obediently before hesitating slightly. "…Aizen-sama? There is a battle…" And it wasn't going terribly well for Halibel and her fraccion. Yet he proposed to fuck his minion then and there? Because Starrk was absolutely certain that was what Aizen wanted of him. Aizen chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

"Ah, Starrk. Halibel must prove she is worthy of serving me. You have already done so, with Kyoraku's death." He explained and Starrk nodded like a puppet, feeling overwhelmed by the heat in Aizen's body, the touch of his hand against his cold skin. He was chilling, as the sweat of his battle dried. "No one will see us. They see only what I will… so let me give you proof of my favor."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." Starrk murmured, hardly feeling it as he was pulled down and his legs spread. His hakama fell away and he arched as Aizen sheathed himself in him, filling him with a quick, painful suddenness. The pain was excruciating but was quickly matched with an equally blinding pleasure and he clung to the shoulders of his god, accepting the feelings he was given and giving joy in return. As they mated, Starrk's gaze fell on the torn black clothing, the limp hand lying palm to the sky and the puddle of blood that was too close, threatening to reach them. And even in the middle of pleasing his god, it made him wonder.

_Is this really beautiful, Aizen-sama?_

* * *

_Am I truly the only one left?_

Starrk knelt on the cushion beside the throne, tasting blood and ashes in the back of his throat. Several captive taichou were also there, kneeling in front of the throne. They had no cushions for their knees. To Starrk, it seemed like the only difference between them.

None of the other Espada had survived. Halibel had failed and vanished, just like Barragan. Only Starrk had been deemed a success and preserved, shielded from notice by Aizen's power as he took on the remaining Visored and shinigami. Starrk had marveled at his power and skill, the might that truly made Aizen a god.

Yet now, he was alone. Unless he counted the taichou in front of him, waiting on Aizen's pleasure. Starrk let his gaze travel over them and felt sadness as he met the brown eyes of the white haired man. There was no hate there, no condemnation. Just a soul deep pain, a mourning that hurt him more cruelly than hate ever could. Starrk looked down, feeling the guilt choking him. Why did he feel like this? The other man would have killed him, had tried very hard to do it.

Aizen took his seat in his throne and Starrk remained pliant and accepting as a hand ran through his hair, a gentle but possessive gesture. Oddly enough, that seemed to bother the shinigami taichou. He wondered why but could come up with no explanation.

Aizen's voice just rolled over him as he spoke to his captives. Starrk ignored it, keeping his attention on his god, as he knew Aizen wanted. He vaguely understood that his lord and master was giving the taichou a choice… to serve him or be imprisoned in a place called the Maggot's Nest. Just the name didn't sound very pleasant and yet, two of the captives chose that fate. The others consented to obey Aizen, semi-graceful in their defeat.

"Now, Starrk." Aizen turned his attention to him with a benevolent smile. Starrk just gazed up at him attentively. Nothing else mattered. "If I could, I would bring Lilinette back to you. Alas, I cannot." He said regretfully and Starrk flinched. That was his greatest desire. "She is lost too deep in your soul collection and bringing her out forcefully might harm you. Perhaps you will find her naturally, someday." He said and Starrk swallowed before nodding. "However, you have earned a reward. Is there anything else you desire?" Aizen said, his voice warm and kind. Starrk wondered if it was a trap. He knew it would be wise to deny any wishes, but…

"There… is something, Aizen-kami. But I understand if you cannot grant it." He murmured, looking up at Aizen through his eyelashes. His god might be angry at him for his request. "The shinigami who fell to my blade. Can he be… returned?" Could Aizen do that? But he was kami, now. The Soul King's throne answered to him. Starrk vaguely heard a gasp of surprise but kept his gaze on Aizen. He could not let his attention falter for even a moment.

"Ah, Starrk. You regret his death?" Aizen's voice was amused and Starrk kept himself completely pliant as his lord and master cupped his chin, raising his face so their eyes met. "You are so ridiculously tender hearted, for a hollow. I always feared that would lead you to fail… but you did overcome it, in the end. Yet now you desire this? You do realize he is the reason your Lilinette is no longer with you?" He said and that made Starrk close his eyes in pain. And yet…

"No Aizen-kami. Lilinette is gone because I failed her." He said hoarsely and saw a flicker of surprise across his master's face. "I did not fight hard enough." Aizen looked at him for a long moment before nodding slowly. Hands released his face and Starrk let himself fall back onto his haunches.

"Very true. You are both self-aware and fair in your judgments." Aizen murmured before smiling. It was warm but with a cruel edge. "Very well. I will grant your request." There was another gasp and Aizen turned to look at the waiting taichou. "However, he is a dangerous man, clever and powerful. I will return him but only with the power of a fukutaichou. He will no longer be capable of bankai." He said and Starrk blinked, daring to glance at the assembled taichou. Many of them seemed dismayed but the white haired one just looked overjoyed. "Perhaps Kyoraku could serve you in that capacity, Ukitake?" Aizen sounded like he was teasing and the white haired taichou looked down, a sudden flash of pain crossing his face. Starrk suspected that whoever had held the position previously was dead. "It will take me several days. You are dismissed." All of the taichou began to leave, except for the two who had chosen the Maggot's Nest. They were escorted out by some of Aizen's new guards. The rest would have their retaining collars removed so they could take up their old duties. Starrk wearily wondered who would be the first to plot against Aizen.

Knowing his lord and master, he was already looking forward to crushing a few rebellions.

* * *

Starrk did not go to see Kyoraku Shunsui after his resurrection.

To the Espada, it was enough to know that the man was alive. He really had no desire to see the one who had deprived him of half his soul, left him feeling so broken and lost. He knew it was his own fault and accepted the responsibility, but it did not mean he wanted to seek the man out.

Of course, that only resulted in Shunsui coming to see him. Really, he should have anticipated that… but Starrk lived at Aizen's Palace, now. Aizen preferred not to stay in the Celestial realm so he'd used his power to create this beautiful thing, taking over some of the lands that had previously belonged to a noble clan. They hadn't dared protest, or perhaps he had compensated them in some way.

Starrk was sleeping in the gardens when he was roughly roused by a hand violently shaking him.

"Lilinette?" He said groggily although that touch, despite the roughness, was far gentler than her usual methods. Then he blinked as his mind caught up with reality. She was gone and this must be one of Aizen's servants. "…" But no, that was wrong too. He gazed into a face that was both amused and cautious as the hand released him.

"I'm sorry for the rudeness, Espada-san. But I could not wake you." Shunsui said and Starrk swallowed, sitting up. This was a great surprise to him.

"It is fine. I'm used to it." Really, that was the bare minimum of force required to wake him. "I'm surprised Aizen allowed you to come here." Really, that seemed strange to him and made him very afraid. What kind of test was this? It had to be something. Those grey eyes regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before Shunsui sat down beside him.

"You know, you don't have to stay here. You could explore Soul Society." Shunsui's eyes lingered on his hole and mask fragment, but in an assessing way. "You control your reiatsu quite well. A proper shirt and no one would know your nature." He offered and Starrk lowered his gaze. That… hurt. Because if she were there, Lilinette would be urging him to do just that. She would be bored with the gardens he was lingering in.

"Perhaps…" Or perhaps not. Starrk lifted his gaze, feeling dead inside as he looked at the man beside him. He was just the same, wearing a new straw hat and the familiar kimono. The only sign of his 'death' was his diminished reiatsu. The pool of power he owned was greatly lowered, just as Aizen had said it would be. "But I doubt you came here for that." Shunsui smiled and Starrk's breath caught in his throat. His smile… it was beautiful.

"No, I came to thank you. I've always so enjoyed being alive. I could hardly believe it when Juushiro told me this was your doing." Shunsui glanced around, before speaking soberly, touching what he knew was a great wound. "I am sorry for your loss." He said and Starrk swallowed before shaking his head.

"It was my fault." He said quietly, tasting the bitter truth of it. Lilinette's dissolution had given him the strength to kill the man across from him. Nothing else could have and that had been his failure. He hadn't wanted to kill and that had cost him the one most precious to him. "I should have killed you when Wonderweiss gave me the opening." So stupid… A hand went down on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"Yes, you should have." The shinigami agreed and Starrk blinked. "But don't be ashamed of your humanity, Starrk. Regretting death the way you do… the guilt you feel… I think you are a much better man than me." Shunsui said sadly and Starrk stared at him. Humanity? He was a hollow… but then, what else could this feeling be called? "If I had killed you I would have felt some regret, but it would have been fleeting. I've killed far too many enemies, over the years."

"…You were my first." Starrk whispered, feeling the pain again. Yet, it was muted by the man's presence. Shunsui was very much alive and didn't even seem to regret the loss of his power. "My first intentional death." He couldn't really remember being an adjuchas, the lives he must have taken to become vasto lorde. "Did you feel like this, the first time?" He suddenly asked. Was this normal? Shunsui let go of him and Starrk almost regretted the loss of his hand as he looked away.

"Mmm… no. But the circumstances that led me to kill someone the first time were very unfortunate." He said after a moment and Starrk wondered what story was behind that. But he wasn't going to ask, if Shunsui did not want to tell him. "I didn't have time to think about it until much, much later and I mostly felt relieved… but that was hardly typical. The first time I killed someone who might not have deserved to die… yes, I felt guilt." He said before looking at him. Grey eyes met grey and to Starrk, Shunsui's suddenly looked very old and wise. The shinigami made him feel like a child and perhaps, he was. After all, for all his age he had very little experience to draw on. Nothing but endless sand and boredom to fill his days. "It dulls, in time. And surely my resurrection has helped?"

"Yes. I just remember it, sometimes." Starrk bit his lip, remembering the nightmares he sometimes had. Shunsui lying in a pool of blood, eyes glazing with death as Aizen's voice told him to appreciate the beauty of the moment. And every time he tried, but he couldn't. All he felt was horror, despair and painful, bitter grief. That was not something he could share with the man beside him, though. It was wrong to even feel it. Aizen-kami was right in all things. "I… do you regret the loss of your reiatsu?" He asked, hoping to take their conversation to something less painful. There was a warm chuckle beside him.

"Kami, no!" That ready denial made him blink. "It's almost a relief. You know, when you're a taichou as powerful as I was you have to be so careful with the youngsters. Always keeping your reiatsu in check… I can afford to be more careless now. It reminds me of my days at the Academy." He said easily and Starrk ventured a tentative smile.

"I understand." And he did. His own reiatsu was like a ball and chain, holding him back. It was strange to think that a shinigami might have a similar problem although Aizen… Aizen's reiatsu had isolated him, too. He'd always treasured Starrk for the way he could fully unleash his power without fear of hurting the Espada. Starrk had thought that Aizen was unique among the shinigami but it seemed he was a bit wrong in that. "I was much the same, although as a hollow my reiatsu was… voracious." That was the main difference. Kyoraku's power might have crushed those around him, but probably not literally. Starrk's power had sucked souls relentlessly. "Aizen freed me from that." Although he would have to be careful in Soul Society. Even the weakest adjuchas was stronger than a mere plus soul. "Perhaps I will leave the palace." Aizen had given him no real duties. He was free to come and go. Shunsui smiled warmly at him and Starrk found it enchanting.

"If you do, come to the Thirteenth. We can play a game of shogi." He said and Starrk nodded, although he had no idea what shogi was. He watched the man depart, feeling deeply conflicted. He knew Aizen well and was certain his lord and master was watching, waiting to see what he would do. And yet…

He wanted to see Shunsui smile at him again.

* * *

Starrk slouched through the Seireitei, wandering at random.

He'd very diffidently approached Aizen with his desire to wander, deciding that it would be best to have permission first. Aizen had given it with a benevolent smile, amused at his request. After that the servants had helped make something suitable. He was wearing robes and hakama that made him look like a shinigami, along with a thick orange scarf that hid his mask fragment and hole. And gloves, of course, but black this time. His belt was yellow silk, decorated with a heavy bronze medallion. Starrk dropped a hand to it, running his fingers over the surface. The color matched the hilt bindings of his sword.

"…" Starrk wondered what to do, where to go. Not for the first time, he desperately missed Lilinette. She would have dozens of ideas. His eyes misted over but then he shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought. She was gone unless he could somehow find her again. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find that annoying yet beloved presence. There was nothing but an aching void. The shove to his shoulder was almost welcome, making him blink and look. But the man who had pushed him was ignoring him, walking down the street. "…?" Starrk blinked as he realized he was standing around like an idiot. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he started to walk.

The Seireitei was remarkable to him. Starrk really had no idea what most of the people there were doing. He could remember nothing of his time as an adjuchas, let alone being human. It was all completely foreign to him and he longed for someone to explain. Perhaps…?

Starrk kept his eye open for a shinigami. Eventually, he happened to see one. The woman was doing nothing in particular, just eating something. He hesitated a moment before accosting her.

"Forgive me. Could you tell me the way to the Thirteenth Division?" He asked diffidently. She swallowed the little fish she was eating before wiping off her fingers. Then she pointed.

"That direction. Go down this road until you reach the shop with the red awning, then go that way. You can't miss it." The directions seemed a bit vague to Starrk but he was willing to have a try. The shop with the awning was easy to find – what were most of the shops selling and how did you go about buying things? – but the rest of it became troublesome. He had to ask for directions twice more before he finally fetched up at the Thirteenth Division. Then he kept wandering, feeling a bit like a blind dog lost in a new room. Eventually, someone noticed his helpless confusion.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" A young man asked and Starrk latched onto him like a limpet.

"Yes. I am looking for Kyoraku Shunsui?" He said and the man frowned at him, clearly noticing there was something strange about him. "Or Ukitake Juushiro?" Shunsui had said the white haired taichou would like to speak to him. At least, he thought so. Maybe he was misremembering but at least the other man wouldn't hate him.

"Kyoraku fukutaichou isn't in. But I can show you to Ukitake taichou. May I ask who you are?" The man asked and Starrk sighed to himself. But he had to admit to his identity sooner or later.

"Coyote Starrk, Primera Espada." He said briefly and the shinigami's eyes widened. "I do not want to stand on ceremony…" He shoved his hands deeper in his pockets and slouched a bit more, emphasizing his non-threatening posture. The young man swallowed before nodding.

"Follow me." Starrk trailed along behind, looking around with interest. All the buildings in the Seireitei were completely foreign to him. Vaguely, he wondered what they were made of. Los Noches had been created from the sand of Hueco Mundo but where did these materials come from? Trees? Starrk knew what trees looked like now but some of this did not seem to be wood…

Any thoughts of building materials left him as he was ushered into Ukitake's office. The man behind the desk stood with a smile that was surprisingly friendly.

"Starrk-san! I wondered if you would come. Please leave us, Saito-kun." He said to the man behind Starrk, who bowed and showed himself out. "I hope you don't mind me calling you that?"

"Not at all." Starrk said, wondering what else he would be called. Although… "You can just call me Starrk. Everyone does." Or everyone had, back when there was anyone else. Starrk flinched a bit at the thought before taking a seat on one of the cushions. Juushiro smiled before returning to his own cushion.

"I was hoping you would come to see us. I want to thank you, personally. Shunsui has been my friend forever. When I found out he had died, it was like I had lost a piece of myself." He said and Starrk flinched, visibly, at the painful reminder of his own loss. The shinigami's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what he had just said. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"It's fine. I understand." Starrk said quickly. It was just a very unfortunate choice of words. "I'm glad Aizen was able to return him to you." When he'd made his request he'd been prepared to hear that it was impossible. Juushiro nodded. "I'm hoping that the loss of his power…?" That still worried him a bit. He knew what would have happened to an arrancar who lost even a portion of their power and it wasn't nice. Well, the Privaron Espada were a good example of that. Juushiro smiled, his eyes warming.

"It's fine. His power was never the most important thing about him." He said so sincerely that the Espada couldn't doubt it. Starrk relaxed a little, venturing a smile. "But I'm forgetting my manners. Would you like some tea?"

"Please." The liquid would calm his nerves, a bit. Starrk took the cup and slowly sipped, enjoying the heat of the beverage. "I, um… was wondering, though, if you could help me with something?" It was a bit silly, perhaps, but he really needed help. Juushiro blinked at him, surprised. "I… don't know how things work here." Starrk knew he sounded pathetic and lost, but that was fine. He WAS pathetic and lost. "I know what a shop is but how do you buy things? Aizen gave me these but I don't know how they work?" He pulled out the items from his pockets, looking at them helplessly. There was a choking sound and Starrk looked up to see Juushiro's lips twitching.

"That's money, Starrk-san. You use it to buy things." Starrk stared at him imploringly and Juushiro finally laughed. "Ah, I'm sorry! It's just too funny. Shunsui should be back soon, if you're willing to wait. I'm sure he would love to show you around." Juushiro said with a twinkle in his eye and Starrk felt deeply relieved.

"I would be glad to wait. If there's a good place to sleep?" He asked hopefully and soon was lying on a very comfortable couch. It had an armrest in just the right place… Starrk snored softly as he caught up on his sleep, vaguely aware of the sound of people passing by, voices speaking back and forth. It was very pleasant and lured him into a deeper sleep.

Until a hand on his shoulder woke him.

"Uh?" Starrk yawned and blinked. "Shunsui?" He recognized the touch, this time. Shunsui smiled down at him and Starrk blinked as he suddenly had a bizarre urge to reach up and touch his trailing bang. He mastered the impulse and sat up, yawning again into his hand.

"It's good to see you again. Juushiro's told me you would like an introduction to Soul Society?" That was a good way to phrase it and Starrk nodded, looking at the other man hopefully. Shunsui smiled again, the edges of his eyes crinkling in a way that made Starrk stare in fascination. Aizen smiled fairly often but he never looked that… happy. And unlike Aizen's smiles, which always gave him a feeling of menace, there was nothing threatening about Shunsui. "Come with me. I'll show you everything!"

"I appreciate it." Starrk said gratefully, standing. Shunsui chuckled softly before leading him out. The Espada followed behind, wondering what he would see and what he would learn. He was full of curiosity about his new home.

He wanted to know everything.

* * *

Much later that day.

"Hrrrrrrck." Starrk groaned as he tried desperately to throw up. He needed to throw up. He needed it! "Gk… kkkhhh…" He finally managed it. Everything he'd eaten and drunk for the evening, mostly drunk, came up in a rush. That was bad but when he removed the cause, the nausea finally eased. Starrk rested his forehead against the wall, gasping quietly as a hand gently rubbed circles into his back.

"My apologies, Starrk-san. I should have realized you would never have had alcohol." Shunsui sounded apologetic and Starrk closed his eyes, just enjoying that touch.

"It… tasted much better going down." He said weakly, leaning against the other man as an arm went around his shoulders. "I feel so…" He felt strange, confused and weak. And his reiatsu was not fully under control anymore. Thankfully, he was surrounded by shinigami who could at least survive his strength. But he'd seen many of them wincing away from him. Even for those with power, the weight of his reiatsu was not pleasant.

"I know. Come with me. Juushiro won't mind if we use his office and it has kido wards meant to contain the strength of a taichou." Starrk wondered if that would be enough to hold him but wasn't going to question it. Even walking was a challenge at the moment.

"Thank you." He said instead. He'd had an absolutely wonderful day with Kyoraku Shunsui. He'd learned how to buy things, what stores sold, how money worked… he'd seen things he'd never imagined, like a stream flowing through the city. He'd walked over a pedestrian bridge and looked into the water. There was no water at all in Hueco Mundo. Through it all, Shunsui had tolerated his wide eyed innocence, his undoubtedly stupid questions. Starrk was very grateful to him.

"It's nothing." There was something odd in Shunsui's voice but Starrk ignored it, putting his weight on the other man. He was being eased down onto a couch. The same one as before? Yes, and it was just as comfortable. Starrk yawned then blinked as he felt Shunsui still there? "Hmm… why not?" Starrk opened his mouth to say something, ask a question, but then he was silenced with a kiss.

"…!" Starrk half-closed his eyes, his mouth moving automatically, his body responding without thought. He molded himself to the man above him, feeling the hard lines, the firm muscles. Like Aizen but slightly heavier. Shoulders that were broader, a different body to fit himself to. "Shunsui." He breathed, vaguely aware that he was doing something stupid, foolish beyond words. No one should touch him like this but Aizen-kami. Aizen had never demanded it of him but Starrk was not a fool… then Shunsui drew back for a moment, their eyes meeting. Starrk could see the fever heat in those grey orbs.

"Starrk." Then Shunsui's lips covered his for a second time and Starrk lost track of any rational thought. All that mattered was that hard body against him. Starrk groaned deep in his throat, reaching up with trembling hands to tear at that black clothing. He wanted it gone. He wanted to feel more… Shunsui helped with that, working on his clothing. Black fabric fell onto the floor and Starrk closed his eyes as his legs were spread. He stayed perfectly relaxed, supply and accepting. It would hurt less if he did not fight it…

"…?" Starrk opened his eyes as fingers slid into him. That was not unusual but it was not painful. There was an odd coldness, something damp? It was easing the passage of those fingers into his body. He lifted his head and looked down, trying to understand what was happening to him. He saw Shunsui looking at him, his grey eyes warm and amused as he saw the confusion on his face.

"Tell me Starrk. Are you a virgin?" He asked softly and Starrk shook his head.

"No." He said with complete honesty. "What are you doing?" He asked and the amusement faded in the other man's eyes.

"I'm preparing you." He explained and Starrk swallowed at the concern in his voice. "I don't want you to be in pain." That took his breath away. Not in pain? It was such a foreign thought.

"I… thought it had to hurt…" He murmured, then groaned as a hand encircled his erection. "Ah…" That felt good. Along with that careful exploration of his insides, it was very good… he whimpered, shuddering as those talented hands tormented him. What was happening to his body? He'd thought he knew sex very well but it had never felt like this before…

"Had to hurt? Oh Starrk." Starrk wondered at Shunsui's tone but had no time to think about it. Fingers were slowly, lovingly stroking that special spot inside him. Starrk had no idea what it was called but he did know that source of pleasure. He gasped, closing his eyes as he gripped the other man's shoulders. It felt so good. When would the pain come? He would have to repay this. Pleasure never came without pain.

Then his legs were nudged further apart and Starrk gasped as Shunsui slid deep inside him, his cock covered in more of that cool dampness. It quickly warmed within him, easing the faint burn. Starrk's eyes were wide as he registered the absence of pain. Yes, there was a sting but it was nothing compared to what he was used to. The barest whisper of pain, it eased almost as quickly as it came.

All that was left was the blinding pleasure as Shunsui scraped across that hidden place deep inside him, making Starrk cry out. The sound of his voice, heavy with pleasure, was foreign to him. He rarely made sounds with his god, unless they were screams…

"Shunsui." He groaned as the man began to take him. It was slow though, too slow? Was Shunsui holding back for him? Another alien thought. Aizen would never have done that. "Please, take what you need. Take your pleasure from me." He whispered. He wanted that. He wanted to give Shunsui his pleasure.

"Oh kami Starrk. Believe me, I am." The warm breath in his ear made him tremble, followed by a gasp as the other man speeded his thrusts. That hot, heavy organ inside him effortlessly found his pleasure point, stimulating him repeatedly. Starrk clung to Shunsui's shoulders, digging in his fingers before he caught himself and forced his hands to relax. He should not be giving pain. They kissed then and Starrk allowed himself to sink into the other man's mouth, feeling like they were melting together. The way they were connected, the pleasure building within him… perhaps it was merely a bizarre fantasy but it was hard for him to tell where one ended and the other began. "You are… amazing…"

"So are you." Starrk whispered, still marveling at the absence of pain. There was only joy as he met Shunsui's thrusts, raising his hips and pushing back, deepening the sensations. He was being filled so completely and it didn't hurt. He wasn't sure how that could even be possible. "Harder! Oh please, take me harder…" He wanted more. Perhaps it was selfish but he wanted to feel so much, wanted every inch of his lover inside him. There was heavy breathing against his skin as Shunsui obliged. The speed and force of his thrusts rocked Starrk into the couch and made the springs squeak. Starrk cried out again as his special spot was relentlessly tortured. How could Shunsui be so good at hitting it?

That fast pace quickly began bringing Starrk to his orgasm. He could feel the sweat beading on his skin, see that chestnut hair trailing over his chest as the pleasure came to an incredible peak.

"Shunsui!" Starrk cried out as the moment came, his body clamping down sharply as he jerked, his creamy cum splattering between the two of them. Shunsui cursed and there were a few more quick, hot strokes before the shinigami stiffened and came, filling the arrancar beneath him with liquid heat. Starrk gasped, feeling exhausted and boneless as that fluid filled him, warming his core. It felt strangely good when there were no abrasions for it to sting… "Mmm." Starrk looked into Shunsui's eyes, exhausted yet worried. Had that truly given the shinigami pleasure? But then warm lips brushed his temple.

"Ah, Starrk. You are so beautiful like this." Shunsui murmured and Starrk blinked, not understanding.

"But there's no blood." He said without thinking. Yes, there was sweat and even a bit of tears – he'd cried in the sheer joy of it – but not blood. He felt the body against him go still for a moment before Shunsui whispered in his ear.

"You don't need blood to be beautiful, Starrk. In fact, I would say that blood is not beautiful at all." Shunsui said and Starrk blinked slowly. Blood… not beautiful? Then a warm hand stroked his cheek. "Go to sleep." That was something he always wanted to do and the weariness was crushing now. Shunsui slowly pulled out of his body and Starrk curled up on the couch, unconcerned with his nakedness. He vaguely felt a blanket going over his body and snuggled into it. It felt nice and warm and comfortable.

Feeling better than he had in months, perhaps years, the Primera Espada fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	44. AU - Ghoul - Part 4

"Oh my god Starrk, it's painful just watching you!" Shunsui looked up from his book, surprised, and smiled as he saw what was going on. Starrk was typing something on a laptop, using a painfully slow two finger technique. "How many times do I have to tell you to get a typing program? Geez!"

"Hush. I don't do this often enough to bother." Starrk said firmly as he continued his hunt and peck on the keyboard. Lilinette shook her head. "You know, have you considered how amazing it is that I even know how to use a computer? And a cell phone? The world has changed so much in the last hundred years. It's almost unrecognizable and yet, I'm managing to keep up."

"No you're not. You don't know how to download an app or how to set up the DVD player." Lilinette said unkindly. Shunsui chuckled softly as he glanced at the multimedia set up. It was a touch complex.

"To be fair, I'm not sure how to set up the DVD player." He commented and Starrk flashed him a grateful smile. "That thing is terrifying." Hitting the wrong button could send you god-knows-where. Lilinette groaned.

"Don't encourage him! Geez." She complained before grabbing a book off the table. It was one of his, but Shunsui didn't protest. He'd finished it already. "…You read romance novels? You're weird, pinky."

"Thank you, brain." He said easily and Lilinette looked blank before giggling at the joke. "I thought you weren't going to call me that." He reminded her and she smiled at him.

"Sorry Shunsui. Mind if I borrow this?" She asked and he shook his head.

"It's fine." He said before glancing around the room.

With his new job as a bartender in a very, very seedy bar and Starrk's position as a janitor in the local hospital, they were able to afford an apartment. It wasn't a very good one, though. Just a single bedroom flat in the bad part of town, it had more than a few problems. Fortunately, Starrk made a wonderful general handyman. So far he'd fixed up the sink and put in some grout in the bathroom. He was also doing a bit of work on the tiling. Before too long, it might be almost habitable.

Lilinette's 'room' was also the den. Her bed was the couch. It wasn't very good, something they had acquired from the local thrift shop, but she didn't complain. Their own bed wasn't much better, scavenged from the same source. He and Starrk shared the mattress, which posed a few problems…

Shunsui glanced at the older ghoul from the corner of his eye. The man's face was completely serene as he focused on his laptop. That made him look extremely attractive, although Starrk was attractive in general. That was starting to become an issue. As he settled into his new life and mastered his ghoul abilities, he was noticing how gorgeous Starrk could be.

It was so many things… first of all, the other ghoul was a remarkable man. He'd lived so long and been through so much, yet retained his sanity and humanity. He kept up with the times, even if he was 'grandpa level', to quote Lilinette. Shunsui agreed with Starrk… he thought it was amazing that the man was keeping up at all.

The other factor in the equation was their isolation. Certainly, Shunsui could date a woman if he cared to. But he couldn't tell her anything about his life and he might have to leave any moment without a backward glance. Not to mention that she might get a little suspicious of how he never ate. It would be easy to find a one night stand and he had, but that didn't do much for the long term ache. With Starrk, he could share everything.

Shunsui blinked as he realized he'd been staring at Starrk and Lilinette was giving him a knowing look. Blushing slightly, he turned his attention to his book. He wasn't even sure Starrk was interested in men. For all he knew he only liked girls… for several minutes, he read his book in peace, almost managing to banish those thoughts.

"Okay, you guys are driving me NUTS." Lilinette suddenly said, closing her book and tossing it onto the table. "It's like some weird telepathy! When Shunsui isn't looking at you, you stare at him. When Starrk isn't looking at you, you stare at him. The sexual tension is so high I feel like I'm in an episode of Sex and the City! Just bone each other already!"

"LILINETTE!" Starrk yelped, shocked, and Shunsui stared. Was he blushing? "Wha… when the hell have you been watching Sex in the City?!"

"No changing the subject!" A blue tentacle reached out and got automatically caught with a red one. Starrk's reflexes were too good for her to swat him the way she did him. "I'm eighteen, I can watch anything I want! And you guys need to fuck each other really soon! I don't care if it's just one night or you're soul mates, just stop mooning over each other!"

"I am not mooning!" Starrk was definitely blushing. Shunsui found it rather enchanting. And was Lilinette right? The other ghoul was attracted to him, too? Shunsui smiled slowly before deciding directness was called for.

"Well, she is the brain. She might be smarter than either of us." He said lightly before moving. Starrk looked at him wide eyed as he ran his fingers over the other man's cheek before sliding his hand into warm chestnut hair. "Do you want me, Starrk?"

"I, uh… yes but… I thought you liked girls?" He said and Shunsui chuckled before pulling the other man into a kiss. His mouth tasted delicious, warm and yielding under him. It vaguely came to him that that was probably the faintest taste of rot, but he resolutely put that aside. It tasted wonderful to him.

"I'm bisexual. I wasn't sure about you." He admitted when the parted. Starrk was gazing at him, his grey eyes wide and full of heat. "I see I shouldn't have worried. Are you gay?" He asked, just because he was curious. Starrk swallowed before nodding.

"Yes. It was part of why my predecessor picked me to become a ghoul." He said huskily. Shunsu nodded. That made a great deal of sense and it roused his curiosity, but…

"You'll have to tell me more about your past, sometime. But now…" He kissed the man again before pulling him towards the bedroom. That was partly for privacy but also partly self-defence. He hadn't missed the look Lilinette was giving them. She might be enjoying the show but Shunsui was sure a blue tentacle would be heading for them soon if they didn't move it.

The mattress took their weight easily and Starrk was soon under him, hands playing with his shirt as they ground together. Then the man under him smiled, getting serious about removing the offending cloth. Shunsui began doing the same to him, unbuttoning his pants and freeing the length inside. He felt a touch surprised when it sprang forth immediately.

"No underwear? I suppose I should have guessed." He said teasingly. It was true though, had a bunch of primitive tribesmen worn underthings? Likely not. Starrk chuckled, soft and deep.

"Yes, you should have." He said before they kissed again. Warm hands began pulling down his pants, impatient with the fabric. Shunsui helped, kicking them aside. Soon they were both naked and Shunsui paused to look over the other man. "Shunsui, you are gorgeous." Starrk sounded awed and he couldn't help but smile.

"So are you." Starrk's body was sculpted, all hard lines and toned muscles. That was partly because he was a ghoul, Shunsui knew. As long as they continued to eat human flesh, ghouls were blessed with a beautiful physique. However, he was willing to bet that Starrk had been gorgeous even before his change. He explored the planes of that body, savoring the feel of soft skin under his hands. "Kami, I want to feel you." Their eyes met and Starrk nodded, baring his throat in a submissive gesture. Shunsui took advantage of it, exploring the warm skin eagerly. There was a soft groan beneath him and Starrk arched up, rubbing against him. "Please tell me you have some lube." He didn't. He'd honestly never thought this would happen.

"Oh yes. Under the mattress, if Lilinette hasn't found it yet." Starrk said and Shunsui very briefly wondered what Lilinette would want lube for. Then he hid that thought in a deep, dark box. There were things he simply did not want to know… Tentacles were useful for many things and with his finer control, he sent one out to grope under the mattress as he continued to molest Starrk. The molestee returned the attention enthusiastically, kissing him passionately. Shunsui almost fumbled the lube when he found it, but managed to draw it out. "I'm, mmm, impressed." Starrk murmured, licking the shell of his ear and making him shiver. "The kenserie are harder to control when you're distracted…"

"I have a great deal of practice concentrating under pressure." He said and the tone gave the words a whole new meaning. He saw Starrk shudder and took the lube from his tentacle, making the pink thing vanish. As useful as they were, it was extremely difficult to do small tasks with them. He could manage it but only with so much concentration, it hardly seemed worth the bother. Opening the bottle use used it to dampen his fingers and gripped Starrk's erection, along with his own. He began to stroke them together, watching as Starrk's head fell back and he let out a heavy moan.

"That feels so good." The other man breathed, his eyes closing for a moment. When they opened, Shunsui was surprised to see the black and red of a ghoul using his powers. Red tentacles slid over the blankets before suddenly enfolding him.

"!" Shunsui breathed out in shock as he felt Starrk's kenserie around him. The tentacles were not trying to harm… quite the opposite. They were soft as silk and just the tiniest bit fuzzy, warm and yielding as they rubbed against his skin. "Starrk, what are you…" He groaned softly as he completely lost his ability to concentrate. There was a laugh beneath him and he looked down to see a wicked light in Starrk's alien eyes.

"I know how to concentrate under pressure as well." The ghoul said and Shunsui swallowed heavily. "Prepare me…" Starrk spread his legs invitingly and Shunsui left off his teasing, reaching beneath the other man to begin preparing his entrance. He completely missed a red tentacle scooping up the forgotten bottle of lube and managing to coat another one in it. It was messy and lube ended up on the bed, but that almost made it easier. Starrk gathered up the spilled lubrication, messily smearing it across that one particular tentacle.

Shunsui was oblivious to that, or he might have anticipated his fate. As it happened, though, he was taken entirely by surprise when something warm and soft probed at his entrance.

"Starrk! What are you… doing…?" His voice trailed off in a groan as a fine tendril of red eased inside him. Looking down he saw Starrk's eyes were half-lidded, his expression tranquil and almost zen-like as he felt the pleasure of his body and manipulated his tentacles at the same time. "Oh kami, how can you…" This was a virtuoso display of control. And it felt absolutely amazing. Starrk smiled up at him, spreading his legs invitingly.

"Just that amazing. Now please, take me Shunsui. I'm dying for you." Starrk said huskily and Shunsui's eyes widened. He couldn't resist… he pulled his hand away, pushing into the other man in one smooth move. There was a gasp followed by an intense groan and Shunsui jerked with a cry as that tentacle filled him, spreading his cheeks. It found his prostate and he arched before pounding into Starrk. The man under him reacted with a lusty cry. "Yes!"

"Starrk." The sensation of being surrounded by wet heat while being penetrated… it was remarkable. Shunsui had felt something like it only once before and then, it hadn't been as intense. The way that tentacle inside filled him, so completely, was simply unbelievable. And the other tentacles were still wrapped around him, teasing him with their fuzzy, silky soft surfaces. "Oh yes…" He began taking the man beneath him with a fast, intense rhythm. Starrk matched every one of his thrusts, his body moving with a supple grace that made Shunsui think of how he must have been, as an ancient tribesman. He could easily imagine the man wearing nothing but leathers, standing on a hill and gazing out over the rising sun… then the pleasure wiped such fanciful thoughts away and he kissed Starrk, their tongues tangling together in an intimate duet. "Starrk." He breathed the man's name into his ear, feeling the intimate shudder of the body beneath him. "You are… so…" The tentacle inside him kept lovingly stroking his prostate, making him gasp at the intensity of the feelings.

"So are you. Shunsui…" Starrk's voice was full of pleasure and Shunsui was glad to hear it. He felt like he was slacking off a bit but could he…? He extended a tentacle but was immediately stopped by a red one. "No. Startle reflex… too dangerous. I have control." Starrk said, his words fragmented as he struggled to speak through the pleasure. Shunsui didn't stop his thrusts for a moment as he tried to understand what the other ghoul was saying.

"Oh." Now he understood. If a ghoul was startled with their tentacles out, they would instinctively become hard and sharp. Not the sort of thing you wanted in an intimate moment and even a slamming door might do it. "Right… someday…" Although maybe not for a very long time. How did you control that reflex? Then the tentacle inside him did something _amazing_ and Shunsui arched with a gasp. "AH! Stop…" If Starrk did that he would be cumming all too soon. There was a heavy chuckle beneath him but the other man desisted, going back to his gentle stroking.

"Keep your mind on what you're doing." Starrk advised and Shunsui smiled as he did that. He concentrated on nothing but the man under him, the pleasure he was giving and experiencing. He went in even deeper, taking the other man more firmly. Starrk groaned at the change in pace and Shunsui's breath caught in his throat at the naked lust and pleasure on his face.

"You look so…" He wanted to see that expression again. As often as possible, in fact. And he wanted these sensations, the tight, incredible heat, also as often as possible. Starrk's face was beaded with sweat now, those long, limber legs wrapped around his waist as the other man met all of his thrusts.

"Oh kami. More. More!" Starrk groaned and Shunsui obliged, speeding his thrusts to a breakneck rhythm. Then that tentacle inside him did that remarkable thing again and he couldn't hold back. His vision exploded in stars and sparks as he came with a cry, feeling the intense pleasure of release. Starrk's body arched from the bed as he followed, his scream of ecstasy echoing through the small apartment. They were both left panting and trembling in the aftermath –

_**THUMP!**_ Shunsui flinched but Starrk didn't react, just glancing over his shoulder as he slowly eased his tentacles free. _**THUMP THUMP!**_ Someone was pounding on the wall?

"I think we've angered the neighbors." Starrk said conversationally and Shunsui choked. "Perhaps we should go back to the main room until they calm down?"

"Uh… right." He would like to sleep but not when someone was clearly infuriated at them. Briefly, Shunsui was glad that Starrk had stopped him from using his tentacles. That surprising bang would have activated his startle reflex with very unfortunate consequences. Smiling, he grabbed a bathrobe as Starrk pulled on some pajamas.

It was still early for them. They could rest later.

* * *

"This is AWESOME! I love you Starrk. I love you Shunsui." Lilinette pledged, which Shunsui was sure would last no longer than the next time Starrk had to discipline her. Although she did love him very much, even when he had to remind her of things.

"It was nothing." Starrk said easily as Shunsui looked around with a smile. "I enjoy these things too."

Despite the threats of war and the occasional bang of rockets, life went on. And in this city, that meant the yearly anime convention was currently in full swing. Lilinette had talked them into attending although it hadn't really taken much. He wasn't costuming but Lilinette and Starrk were. Lilinette was dressed up as a young demon girl and Starrk was her human mentor. It was from an anime that Shunsui had watched a few times and rather liked. Lilinette's outfit was mostly black and rather elaborate, suiting her slender, pre-pubescent body quite well. But then, the girl in the anime was about the same age.

"You do look very good in priest garb." Shunsui teased and Starrk made a face as Lilinette laughed.

"Ya know what makes that funny? He is a priest. He got ordained a long time ago, ask him to tell you the story sometime. He almost got nominated as a saint but he managed to skip town before they could do it." She said merrily and Shunsui blinked. Starrk growled at her, mildly annoyed.

"It would have been highly inconvenient. Shall we go look at Artist's Alley?" He asked and they both nodded.

Soon they were sorting through beautiful artwork and various artisan items and crafts. Lilinette had an allowance for the event and was being quite picky, trying to find just the right item to spend it on. It was boring for the men in her life so Starrk had a suggestion.

"Why don't you do this while Shunsui and I check out the gaming tables?" He suggested. "There might be some Settler's of Catan groups." That made Shunsui smile. The game was perfect for the three of them so they played it constantly.

"Yeah, sure. You got your cell phone?" Starrk nodded but that didn't entirely satisfy Lilinette. "And is it charged?" She asked suspiciously and Starrk checked it before verifying that it was, indeed, charged. "I'm not gonna ask Shunsui, he's way more reliable than you." She said firmly and Starrk looked pained as Shunsui laughed.

"You are so cruel to me… come on, let's leave her to this." He said and Shunsui followed him with a smile. They both missed the camera crew, filming one of the events. It was something they weren't interested in and had nothing to do with them.

* * *

"…And live on the scene of the New Langford anime convention!" Juushiro was eating his lunch and ignoring the TV. There was nothing around him but silence. No funny jokes, no laughter, none of the warmth that Shunsui usually brought to the room.

The loss of his best friend was painful. Juushiro wasn't sure but he thought it might be even worse because Shunsui wasn't dead. No, the ghoul had come for him. Had the Thief somehow been attracted to him and come specifically to bite and change him? Or had he been changing already? Even Urahara wasn't sure. He'd never heard of a delayed change but he also thought it made absolutely no sense for the Thief to take on a second protégé if he didn't have to. He also thought it would be quite out of character for the man.

Whatever the reason behind it, though, Shunsui was gone. His description had been added to all the other ghouls on file and they were searching for him but at the moment, it was all rather low on the priority list. War seemed to be inevitable. Juushiro wondered, wearily, when it would finally arrive.

Perhaps what happened next was fate. Or perhaps it was merely luck. Either way, Juushiro happened to glance up at the TV just as the camera panned over the people nearby.

"…!" He nearly choked on his food as he recognized the set of the shoulders, the build of the man. There was also a glimpse of his profile. And while Shunsui had clearly decided to grow a beard, even that was familiar. It had been better trimmed when they were teenagers, but still there. And the long hair… he'd worn it like that, also when he was a teenager. "Oh kami." Searching for the remote, he found it and backtracked. Soon he was watching the video intently. There was no sign of the little girl but he also managed to recognize the Thief. Standing right beside Shunsui and talking to him in a friendly manner. Juushiro abruptly decided it must have been a delayed change. Shunsui would never have tamely accepted being ripped away from his life, but if it was happening already…

Closing his eyes in pain, he tried to decide what to do. If he went to Urahara with this… Juushiro swallowed. He knew, in his head, that Shunsui was eating people. The Thief was almost certainly murdering to keep them fed, even if it wasn't his preferred course of action. He should report this to Urahara so they could all be hunted down and destroyed. And yet, that was his best friend. Massaging his forehead, he tried to make a decision.

It was a hard dilemma to face.

* * *

"… I don't understand this song at all." Starrk said, watching as Lilinette danced with a bunch of other girls. She was the youngest of the lot and looked particularly adorable as she sang. Shunsui grimaced, running a hand over his face as he listened to the lyrics.

_I don't care!  
I ship it!  
I don't care!_

_You're on the cannon ground, I'm up in crackship space,  
Let's start a shipping war, don't care if I get hate.  
Don't like my pairings well, then you can hit the bricks,  
This is my own TP I'll go down with this ship._

_I ship it!_

"It's about gay sex." He said, feeling slightly pained. Starrk blinked.

"Oh." There was a pause as they continued to listen. "…I understand this song even less now." Starrk confessed and Shunsui couldn't help but laugh.

"It will be over soon." Then they could retrieve Lilinette and see about heading home for some much needed rest. As wonderful as this was, they were all becoming exhausted. She skipped away after the song was done, an endless ball of energy. "Lilinette, it's time to go home." He said firmly and Starrk nodded. She pouted but surprisingly, didn't protest.

"I'm feeling kinda tired and I've got to deliver the newspaper tomorrow. But we are coming back right? I have more money to spend!" She said, concerned and Starrk laughed as he ruffled her hair. She slapped his hand away with a scowl. "Oi! Hands to yourself, pervert!"

"Must you mock my costume?" Starrk said with a groan as Shunsui grinned. It was a standing joke in the anime that the priest mentor for the demon girl had to be a pervert. Why else would he spend so much time with a prepubescent girl? And to be fair, the anime had plenty of subtext. "Come on, we're taking the bus to the train. It will take over an hour to get home." Pessimistic but true. Public transit wasn't the best but it was all they could afford, unless they wanted to steal a car. And that was something to do when they skipped town, not a valid method of transportation. Smiling to himself, Shunsui followed the two ghouls as they bickered playfully. For one brief moment he thought of Juushiro and felt a pang. He almost wished his friend could be here.

He knew Juushiro would have liked Starrk and he would have loved Lilinette.


	45. A New Home

Author's Note: This has nothing to do with Starrk… not yet anyway.

* * *

_Burn, Vlame. Freeze Glaceren._

_Die shinigami!_

* * *

Ukitake Juushiro frowned as he looked at his pez dispenser.

"Damn." He was nearly out of soul candy. And while he wasn't in the Living World for a mission, it might be important to have one in case a hollow showed up. Dying because he was locked in a gigai… that would be a very ignoble way to go. And it had happened before. "Ah well." He would just make a quick stop at Urahara's shop before picking up a bit of Soul Candy.

Then he would meet Shunsui for tea and they would take the late train to Tokyo. Juushiro smiled to himself as he headed for the Urahara Shoten.

He honestly couldn't wait.

* * *

"Oh damn it!" Jinta looked at the scattered soul candies in despair. He'd just dropped a dispenser. "Not again!" He didn't want Tessai to see it. He could be scary when the shop was a mess and also, he didn't want the cost deducted from his pay. Quickly grabbing the dispenser he started gathering up the Soul Candies and popping them back in. Some of them, though, were utterly lost. Jinta looked at the dispenser helplessly. He needed at least one more for it to be high enough that a buyer wouldn't notice. "I know!" Rushing into Urahara's office, he began searching through the desk. He knew it was there. He'd seen the old pervert putting it away.

"Ahah!" Jinta triumphantly found the silvery white soul candy. It was a bit of an odd color but he was sure it was fine. Frowning, he tried to fit it in the top and found it was a touch too large. That was strange but he just shrugged and stuffed it in the bottom. It fit that way and when he tested it, it came out easily.

"Ukitake-san. We do have many soul candies…" Perfect! Jinta stepped into the sales floor, beaming.

"I have one right here!" He offered it to the startled man with white hair. Ururu looked a bit puzzled by his help. "Just got it out, it's good to go!"

"What excellent customer service! Thank you." Juushiro accepted the soul candies, to Jinta's relief. He wanted them out of the store pronto. "How much?" A tiny bit of haggling and the shinigami was on his way as Ururu put the money in the till. Jinta smiled to himself.

No one would ever find out how he'd messed up that Soul Candy.

* * *

When Juushiro took the first pill, nothing happened.

"…?" He looked at the pez dispenser in puzzlement as Shunsui looked at him. His best friend had already left his gigai. Not that they were doing anything urgent or important, but they wanted to check out something peculiar and it would be easier if they weren't seen by humans.

"Juu? What is it?" He asked and Juushiro frowned before pulling out another soul candy.

"Just a defective pill. It happens sometimes." He dismissed the problem before popping the second candy in his mouth. This one worked as advertised, booting him from his body so he could go do something not entirely legitimate. "Now, what was this place you wanted to show me?"

"Ah, right this way! It will knock your socks off…" Shunsui said cheerfully and they left their physical bodies behind. Juushiro felt a little odd, but he easily dismissed it.

It was probably nothing.

* * *

_Where am I?_

Black and gold eyes blinked slowly. Above was a nighttime sky, festooned with brilliant stars. The owner of those eyes sat up and gazed around alertly. He was sitting in a very interesting garden. It was Japanese in style, with stone paths and a gorgeous koi pond flanked by a small gazebo. He wrinkled his nose as he looked at the bonsai trees. They looked strange to him although he was no expert.

"Where am I?" He said, this time aloud as he pushed himself to his feet. Then his eyes widened as he realized something. "Who am I?!" He didn't know. He had no idea. Biting his lip, he glanced over himself for any clue.

His clothing was white. He was wearing close fitting, tailored trousers and an asymmetrical bolero jacket that left most of his chest bare. It was a rather fine chest but his skin was dead white, as well. Frowning, he went over to the water and looked in.

"…" What he was seeing was almost completely foreign to him. A heart shaped face with dead white skin and thick white hair, cut in a layered look around his face. It was very flattering, really. He was wearing a golden lip ring and two hoops in the upper part of his left ear. None of that was familiar.

The one thing that jogged his memory were his eyes. Black and gold, they were achingly familiar. His eyes widened as he remembered.

"_Papi?" Looking up into black and gold eyes, filled with warmth and love._

"_Yes pup?" He ran up and hugged the owner of that voice, surprising an oomph from him. Bone covered arms enfolded him, holding him close._

"_I love you papi." He said, his voice muffled and there was a soft chuckle in his ear._

"_I love you too, Shiro."_

"Shiro." He whispered. It was a simple baby name but he'd never changed it. He'd only added to it. "Shiro Vuurenijs." Fire and Ice. Yes. That was his name and his power but… "Oh fuck! Those shinigami BASTARDS!" The memories were coming back quickly now and his nostrils flared as he remembered being taken. The agonizing pain as his soul was shattered. He gripped the sword at his hip for a moment before forcing himself to relax. That had happened a long time ago and there was nothing to be done. "Where am I? This isn't King's inner world." Then more memories poured back and he groaned. "The bastard got rid of me!" He'd gotten Kisuke to extract is hollow from his soul, keeping it in something like a gikon.

None of that explained where he was, though. He began to explore the surroundings, very curious. It was beautiful and far more comfortable than the crappy surroundings that Ichigo had called an inner world. And in one corner of the garden he saw something that tugged on every parental instinct he owned.

"Aw." There were a pair of little boys sleeping together in some cushions. They both had pure white hair, down to around their shoulders, and they were wearing outfits that seemed very odd to the young hollow. "Ain't that cute." They were cuddled up with each other in a way that reminded Shiro of a pair of puppies. Smiling, he just watched them for a moment. It was so cute…

Then one of the boys opened his eyes. They were bright green and regarded him with innocent curiosity. The other woke up just a moment later, looking at him with an identical expression. They were identical in every way, in fact. Twins? They just stared at each other for a moment before one of the boys spoke.

"Who are you?" He asked and Shiro smiled as he knelt down beside the cushions.

"I'm Shiro Vuurenijs. Who're you?" He asked and the boys exchanged a glance before responding.

"Sogyo no Kotowari." They said together. Shiro blinked as he suddenly realized he was dealing with a zanpakuto spirit. A bit slow on the uptake, perhaps, but he hadn't anticipated that. Although… that meant…

"Hey, whose inner world is this?" He was dying to know the answer to that.

"Ukitake Juushiro." The two boys stood up then, holding fans. Shiro frowned as he felt a bit of menace come into the air. They looked like little kids but they were zanpakuto spirits, he knew they could probably do something nasty if they tried. "You're a hollow. What are you doing here?" He could feel them preparing to attack him and raised his hands in a pacific gesture.

"I'm more like a hollow soul fragment. It's a long story. Put those fans away and I'll tell you, hey?" He said before taking a cross-legged position on the ground. He really had no desire whatsoever to fight a pair of pups. They might not really be children but the thought still made him feel queasy. They exchanged a glance before putting the fans away and taking a seat on the cushions. "Okay. I guess I should start with what I used to be. A long time ago… well, actually, it probably wasn't that long. When were the Visored created?"

"A bit over a hundred years." One of the boys piped up and Shiro nodded.

"Okay. A bit over a hundred years ago, I was a natural born vasto lorde. That's why I don't have a hole." He had once been a whole soul and that attribute had stayed, even after his fragmenting. "I was fresh off the nest when a bunch of shinigami freaks found me. Just bad luck. They didn't purify me though, the bastards… no, they captured me and experimented with me." He was still incredibly angry about that. "Painful as fuck… well, we can skip that. Anyway, they finally broke my soul into pieces." He said and the zanpakuto spirit looked appropriately horrified. That was something shinigami were not supposed to do. "And used the pieces to seed those shinigami you call the Visored. The biggest, though, was fused with the essence of some dead shinigami and turned into a weird hollow thing called White. Kinda funny since that's my name… I can't really remember that part too good but somehow I got absorbed by a woman and born into that brat, Ichigo. That's why he's so strong. The shinigami parts fused fully with him, leaving just this fragment of me."

"But how did you get here?" One of them asked, impatient to get to the punch line. Shiro smiled at him.

"Hey, I'm getting there, don't rush me! Anyway. Ichigo got tired of me bitching at him and got that freak with the hat to pull me out. How I got into your owner from that part is beyond me. He must have bought something from the shop and got more than he bargained for." That was pretty amusing to him. "So… I guess I'm just going to hang out. This place is nice." And he had a feel for his own power. As part of Ichigo, he'd had access to far more energies than he did here. He'd been with Ichigo all his life and the shinigami powers had partly answered to him. In Ukitake Juushiro he was limited to his personal strength, at least until he integrated himself better. Any takeover attempt would be both pathetic and doomed at this point. The two zanpakuto spirits looked dubious and then Shiro had a moment of genius. "Who wants to play chase the boy?" Both their eyes widened.

"Oh yes! Chase!" Shiro laughed and soon they were enjoying a spirited game. He remembered his papi playing with him just like this, running over the sands of Hueco Mundo. Playing with the two zanpakuto spirits brought him back.

It was beautiful.

* * *

It was almost a month before the loss of the Gikon was noticed.

And then, it was only noticed because Ichigo had a change of heart and wanted it back. Without his hollow mask his power was appreciably diminished. When Urahara tried to find the candy, though, he found it was gone. That was very odd because his desk was warded so only he and his trusted employees could enter it. He'd stored the candy in the deepest part of his desk, too. No one could have found it by accident. Which meant…

"Who has been going through my desk?" Kisuke said to his staff. They were all assembled in front of him. "This is not a game. Who took the soul candy from my desk?" He quickly detected the signs of guilt, the way eyes darted to the side. "Jinta?"

"…I thought it was just a soul candy!" The child burst out. "I just used it to top off a dispenser! I'm sorry?" He said and Kisuke put a hand over his eyes for a moment.

"Who did you sell the candy to?" He asked and Jinta looked down. "Jinta!"

"Ukitake Juushiro." He said sullenly, which was actually a bit of a relief to Kisuke. Because…

"He can undoubtedly control the hollow." If it had been someone weaker he would have been very worried. "I'll send a message to Soul Society for him to come here as soon as he can." He would also have to apologize deeply for accidentally inflicting an inner hollow on the man, and probably give a discount at the shop. Kisuke sighed at the thought, but then brightened a little. At least he knew where the thing was. If Jinta hadn't known they would have had to check through all the records. Although… "Now, Tessai. What punishment should there be for this?" He would undoubtedly think of something good. Jinta looked like he wanted to sink through the floor and Urahara smiled.

This was going to be fun!

* * *

"I hate the rain." Shiro muttered as he gazed up into the cloudy sky. He held a hand out, palm up, catching a few droplets. It was spitting right now but he was sure a full on rain was about to come down.

"Why don't you come inside?" Sogyo no Kotowari asked and Shiro blinked as he turned his attention to the children.

"There's something inside?" He wondered, glancing at the house. The two boys laughed at him, grabbing his sleeves. Shiro let them pull him away, bemused. Ichigo's inner world had had buildings but the interiors had largely been empty. That was so depressing that he'd preferred staying in the rain, when there had been rain. After the place had flooded it had mattered less.

The building in this place, though, was quite a bit different. Shiro was astonished to see it was fully furnished and quite cozy. A beverage of some kind was pushed into his hands and he sipped it, blinking as he found it was tea. Taking a seat on the cushions he looked out the window to see a flash of lightning. The rain was starting to come down, just as he'd predicted.

"What's wrong with Juushiro?" He asked, watching as water began to bead on the window panes. "I've never seen the place like this before." And it had been over a month. In Ichigo's inner world there would have been at least a dozen storms, in that length of time. Compared to that, Juushiro was the picture of calmness and serenity. It seemed he had his moments, though. The two boys looked very sad.

"He wanted to go to his sister's dance show." One of them said sadly.

"One of his brothers will be playing in the orchestra!" The other boy said and Shiro blinked, trying to picture it. He knew what an orchestra was but he couldn't recall ever seeing one.

"It's a ballet, right?" The first boy asked the second, who nodded.

"It's from the Living World. I forget the name but it's really good and his sister is going to have a solo." He said and the first spoke again. Shiro had noticed they always did that, trading back and forth. But from what he could determine they were essentially the same entity, despite being two. It was an odd thing.

"But now he can't go. He's sick again." The boy said sadly and Shiro blinked. Sick? "It's his lungs. He's had it since he was a little boy."

"Oh." That was strange to him. But then, hollows only became sick if they were reiatsu drained and badly injured. Although… children had very little reiatsu. Shiro frowned at the thought. Maybe child hollows rarely got sick because they were so isolated from each other. If there was no one to carry disease, how could you catch it? That wouldn't be true of humans and shinigami. "You know, I'm a hollow. We hardly ever get sick." He said, chasing a thought. It was an interesting one because he knew that even before his shinigami powers had erupted, Ichigo had rarely gotten ill. Even when his sisters had the flu he'd often avoided catching it. "If you're willing to help me maybe I can see what I can do to help." He offered. The zanpakuto spirits regarded that with skepticism.

"Will you try to take him over?" One of them asked.

"We know that's what you want." The other said and Shiro grinned.

"You've figured me out already! Then, it's not like it's difficult, huh? Nah, I won't try to take him over." He said semi-seriously. "I'm still not in far enough. Besides, you know what I'd do if I got control, right?"

"Go to Hueco Mundo and take up your old life?" One of them said and Shiro nodded. That was his ultimate goal if he ever took control. "You wouldn't hurt anyone?"

"No. What would be the point of that? He'd just fight me harder. I'd go to Hueco Mundo and see about starting a family of my own." He allowed the wistful yearning to fill his voice. "All the things I should have had…" So much had been denied him. The two boys considered it for a moment before nodding.

"He might even like that. He's always wanted children." The second boy said sadly and Shiro blinked.

"Why doesn't he have any then?" Sure, shinigami weren't very fertile but he could sense that this guy was an old bastard. Kind of like his papi… well, probably younger than his papi. But still very old. Both the children sighed.

"It's his sickness. Every time he starts getting close to someone he has an attack." The first boy said and Shiro grimaced.

"Oh. I got it." And he did. Hollows didn't get sick much but if one had something chronic like this, he could imagine the response. No matter how strong a hollow might be, being occasionally incapacitated would be unacceptable. And if the illness could be passed on to the children… that hollow would be getting no action at all, if he even lived for long. "Alright. Help me out and let's go exploring." He would need their aide to reach out to Ukitake's body.

With Sogyo no Kotowari's help, Shiro found himself exploring the fascinating structure that was Ukitake Juushiro's body. He would have explored more, but the zanpakuto nudged him in the correct direction, focusing his attention on the lungs. Shiro explored them curiously. He could sense the strange life form, happily ensconced in its' warm and squishy home. Many life forms, really, uncounted numbers of them. His first thought was to kill them and he tried to use his hollow power for that. But they fought back and he stopped as he felt an alarming reaction from the host. The lung material was seizing up, filling with far too much fluid and things were rupturing… he didn't need Sogyo no Kotowari's cries to know that was not good. He immediately switched tactics and began soothing the overwrought tissues. Gradually, they eased, the bleeding stopping and the fluid going down. There was still far too much of it though.

_Okay, not trying that again._ He said and felt the zanpakuto's agreement. _Sorry… hmm…_ What else could he try, if killing them outright wouldn't work? He considered it for a long moment, watching how active the little things were. They were tearing up their own home as they perked around, trying to grow and expand. Oddly enough, they couldn't seem to multiply right. But they were still trying and that was causing the damage. Perhaps if he could stop them from doing that…? He carefully reached out, attempting to soothe the life forms directly.

That worked much, much better. Shiro was surprised to find that they almost wanted to be soothed. As if dormancy was a normal state for them? He worked at it very hard and soon they were almost completely inactive. He could feel Sogyo no Katawari's joy.

_Think that's done it. Pull me back?_ He couldn't manage this on his own, not yet. The two zanpakuto reeled him in and Shiro blinked as he felt his body again, felt the ground beneath his feet. "Well, that worked pretty good after the first part." That had been scary. He was sure there had been plenty of medics trying to save Juushiro's life. The two zanpakuto nodded.

"We didn't know trying to kill them would do that!" One of the boys said before the other spoke up with a smile.

"Putting them to sleep worked great! He might even be able to go to the ballet! It's in three days." He confided and Shiro smiled. "It's still raining though. He doesn't know how much better he is. Want to play cards?"

"Eh? Sure." It made sense that Juushiro didn't realize what had happened. He was used to his attacks coming and going in severity. He'd probably be quite surprised when he realized this one was essentially over. Shiro smiled as he picked up the cards he was dealt and looked them over. "What are we playing?" He knew several games.

"Hearts!" One of the boys chirped and Shiro smiled again. That was a game he knew. Soon they were deeply embroiled in the game and missed the clouds parting, the starry sky coming out. Unohana had just checked her patient and given him the surprising news of his condition.

It looked like Juushiro would be going to the ballet after all.

* * *

Juushiro smiled to himself as he went to the human world.

He'd never, in all his life, had an attack that was so violent yet so short. His life had almost been lost… and then the disease had lapsed directly into dormancy. That was strange beyond words but he wasn't going to question it. He'd gotten to see the ballet production his sister and brother were involved in. He'd gotten to congratulate them afterwards and see all the flowers his sister had gotten from her admirers. It made him glad she was married. If she wasn't, the troubles he would have…!

Chuckling to himself at the thought, he entered the candy shop. He was vaguely aware of Sogyo no Kotowari's feeling of wariness and tension but didn't let it trouble him. What could possibly go wrong?

"Ah, Ukitake! I've been hoping to see you." Urahara greeted him immediately and Juushiro smiled at him. Ichigo was there as well, looking at him with an odd suspiciousness. "I'm afraid you were accidentally sold a piece of defective goods."

"Eh?" He said, startled, then remembered. "Oh, the soul candy that didn't work? It was nothing, you shouldn't worry about it." Really, they were so cheap that a defective one was hardly worth remarking on. Kisuke shook his head.

"Sadly, I'm certain it worked all too well. You see, that wasn't a gikon. It was a holding cell for Ichigo's inner hollow." He said and Juushiro stared. He'd eaten… what? "He must be inside you at the moment. We need to remove him. If you could follow me?"

_NO!_ The dual yell made his eyes glaze over. _Tell him he can't have him!_ One of his zanapakuto said.

_We like him! He plays games with us and he made you better!_ That made Juushiro blink and his mouth drop open a little.

"Made me…? What?" He said and Ichigo started to say something but was hushed by Kisuke. He could tell Juushiro was having some kind of conversation with his zanpakuto.

_He tried to kill the things in your lungs but that just made you really, really sick. But then he made them sleep! He's wonderful!_ Sogyo no Kotowari said and Juushiro swallowed, blinking.

"But he's not mine…" He started feebly but then an entirely new voice spoke.

_I'm not that asshole's either!_ The voice surprised him. It was highly individual, not Ichigo's voice at all. He'd heard from the Visored that inner hollows' were usually identical to their owners. But this voice didn't sound like his, either. _My name is Shiro and I belong to myself! Can I talk to those dicks for a moment?_ Juushiro frowned at the thought. _Don't worry, I'm not enough a part of you to take control. Your zanpakuto could yank me back, just ask 'em._

_He's right, we can._ They both assured him and Juushiro still hesitated. Then he looked at the two men in front of him.

"My zanpakuto says the hollow has been healing my sickness." That made them exchange glances, surprised. Juushiro continued, a touch embarrassed. "And he wants to talk to you. It seems I can allow him safely. If you don't mind?" This was bizarre beyond words.

"Why would we care what that asshole has to say?" Ichigo growled and Juushiro winced as he felt a matching hostility from the presence inside him. How had he been so blind to it before? But it had been hiding itself and Sogyo no Kotowari might have been helping. With a strange, sideways feeling, he allowed the hollow to assume some control. He felt a tiny mask forming around his eye, a very strange feeling. It was even stranger when his mouth moved and his own voice spoke, but with a strange, echoing tone.

"_Fuck you Ichigo! And fuck you Kisuke! I like this guy. His inner world doesn't rain all the fucking time and his zanpakuto isn't a stuck up motherfucker who likes to stand on flagpoles! He's got a couple of kids in here and you know, I like kids! He's got a house that's not empty and there's even some goddamned tea! So fuck you, ya jackasses! I'm going to stay right here and with his zanpakuto helping me there's no way you can get me out! SO THERE! NYAH!" _Juushiro was more than a little horrified as his body gave the two men in front of him a raspberry. Sogyo no Kotowari was giggling happily but he firmly ordered them to return his body to him. They pouted a little but helped him regain control. It was easy since the hollow wasn't fighting it. Ichigo stared at him in disbelief as Kisuke began to titter.

"Well, it appears we have been told! Can you tell me a bit about how the hollow helped you with your disease?" He asked as Ichigo's mouth worked, nothing coming out. "Perhaps I could examine you?"

"That… might be wise…" He said weakly, considering his situation. He was a Visored now? That was incredibly peculiar. Fortunately, being a hybrid was no longer a death sentence but still… he'd never anticipated such a thing happening to him.

He would have to see where this led.


	46. What is Beauty - Part 2

"Shunsui, is this wise?" Juushiro said very seriously and Shunsui looked up from their game, not at all surprised.

"Not even slightly. But it's too fascinating to turn away." He said easily before making his move. It was a daring, reckless play, in keeping with his current mindset. Juushiro gave him a severe look before taking his own play. He was being far more cautious and Shunsui smiled as he looked over the board. "How badly did his reiatsu leak past the wards?" He was quite curious about that. Juushiro sighed.

"Horribly. You practically cleared out my Division." He said with mock severity and Shunsui grinned. Starrk had been too drunk to keep his reiatsu in check, if it could be done at all in the throes of passion. The wards had tried their best but it really hadn't been enough. "I'm glad you came out intact."

"If I hadn't it would have been worth it." He was joking but then his eyes darkened as he remembered. "He didn't know about preparation and lubrication." He said quietly and Juushiro shrugged slightly as Shunsui took his move.

"There is no water in Hueco Mundo. The only lubrication would be natural." He said and Shunsui nodded slightly. He knew that was true but…

"Everyone knows what he is to Aizen." He said and saw Juushiro look down, examining the board. Everyone did know. He'd made it abundantly clear with the way he'd treated the Espada in his throne room. And if anyone had doubted, the Palace servants were not immune to gossip. Starrk was far from the only one to grace Aizen's bed, but their new God tired of the others, often quickly. The only one who stayed was Starrk.

"There is nothing you can do for him." Juushiro said before taking his move. Shunsui sighed at that blunt and painful truth. "You can only get yourself in trouble. You should avoid him, Shunsui."

"I know." He did know that. Aizen had to know already, that his toy had been taken by another man. Did he care though? Shunsui wouldn't be surprised if he'd anticipated the whole thing. What kind of game was he playing? Nothing that would be good for either of them. "I'll try to dial it back." He said after a moment. Starrk needed a friend more than a lover, anyway. Although he wondered if he would be able to hold to that.

The arrancar was far too appealing, with his sweet nature and surprising innocence about the world.

* * *

Starrk shifted slightly and groaned softly through his teeth. He opened his eyes, expecting to see white. He was vaguely surprised to see warm wood and gauzy curtains, allowing the air to flow freely across his overheated skin.

That was the only thing unfamiliar about the situation, though. Starrk sighed and allowed his head to fall back. He had pleased Aizen-kami greatly the previous night and now he was paying for it, with the pain of his body. With his reiatsu he would heal, but it would take at least a day.

"Lilinette?" Starrk murmured before realizing she was gone. "Ah." Before his loss she would have been the one to bring him water, wipe it across his fevered skin. Sighing, he reached out for a bell pull. There was a soft tinkling as he tugged lightly on the silken cord.

A servant answered almost instantly. Starrk regarded the man blankly. None of the servants wanted much to do with him, afraid of his power and his connection to Aizen. With good reason, perhaps. The man bowed to him, waiting for instructions.

"Please bring me some cold water and a cloth." Starrk said tiredly. The man bowed again before silently leaving to fulfill his wishes. "Ah." Sometimes, he wondered if such silence was rude or just the way shinigami did things. He had no idea. Resting a hand on his forehead, he let himself lapse into a light doze.

The servant came back quickly but to Starrk's surprise, there was someone else with him.

"…?" Starrk looked at the woman quizzically. She was vaguely familiar to him and he blinked as he remembered. She had been one of the taichou kneeling in the throne room when Aizen had asked them for their obedience. The servant offered him a cloth and a bucket of ice water. Starrk took the cloth absently, nodding at the man to set down the bucket beside him. "I'm… sorry. Is there something I can do for you?" This seemed a touch peculiar but she had to have Aizen's permission to be here. She smiled at him pleasantly.

"No, Starrk-sama. I'm here for you. I'm Unohana Retsu, taichou of the Fourth." That meant nothing to him and she saw it in his face. "We are the healing Division."

"Oh." That was unusual. When he'd been in Los Noches, Aizen had let his injuries heal naturally. But that was because… "Oh, I see. You are strong enough to heal me." He said, belatedly connecting the dots. With his insane power, making a connection to his body was perilous. Most healers would be devoured by him. Of course, Starrk could have simply devoured other hollows to heal himself but he refused to do that. Unohana nodded.

"Yes. Aizen sent for me." She said and Starrk smiled, touched that Aizen would think of his welfare. She knelt beside him as he wet down the cloth, using it to ease the fire inside him. After this kind of session he always felt like he was burning. "Can you take off your clothing, Starrk-sama?"

"Ah, must I?" He said reluctantly then sighed as she gave him a smile that seemed very… firm. "I will, if you stop calling me that. Starrk or Starrk-san is enough." He hated the sama business. Her smile seemed to warm, just a touch.

"Very well, Starrk-san." She said pleasantly and he pulled himself up with a small groan. His uniform was badly soiled with dried blood and taking it off was a painful process. He finally peeled away the fabric and discarded it, slumping down on his cushion. His nakedness did not bother him. It was the natural state of a hollow and the wraps he'd owned before Aizen had found him had been little better than bare skin. Her hands ghosted over his body and Starrk sighed as the pain immediately began to ease. He felt her reiatsu connecting to his, but she was so powerful that she could erect a barrier between them that would hold. If he had wanted to breach it he could have, and harmed her greatly, perhaps even killed her before she could break the connection. But Starrk most certainly did not want that. The last thing he ever wanted was to kill.

"I deeply appreciate this." He murmured to her as she worked. Her face was completely serene, betraying nothing of her thoughts. Starrk thought nothing of it. After all, it was Aizen-kami's right to use his body as he saw fit.

"It is nothing, Starrk-san." She said before pulling her hands away, severing the connection between them. Starrk let her go, feeling a bit bereft. She undoubtedly had no real use for him – he was just a hollow – but it was still pleasant, receiving a friendly touch. "I have a cream for you. It will prevent you from catching an infection and ensure there is no scarring." She offered him the jar and he took it calmly. He'd had something quite similar in Los Noches, provided by Szayel. "If you develop a fever or any other symptoms, please visit the Fourth immediately."

"I would have to speak to Aizen-kami first. But I am sure he would not deny me permission." Starrk said. Aizen seemed to like that his Espada always asked permission before leaving the palace. If Aizen was not there to ask, Starrk did not stray. Unohana stared at him for a moment before nodding with another gracious smile. "Thank you, Unohana taichou."

"You are most welcome." She said before departing. Starrk settled back down on his cushion with a sigh.

Even with her healing, he needed time to rest and repair.

* * *

Starrk smiled as he reached out, touching the little butterfly. He'd figured out the purpose of these, almost by accident. His shock when it had started talking to him would probably have been quite funny, if anyone had been there to see it.

_Starrk-san! It's been a while since I've seen you. Would you like to visit me for a game of shogi? I will be free tomorrow._ That warm, familiar voice made his smile widen for a moment. Then it faded into a troubled expression. Aizen hadn't spoken to him about his actions with Shunsui but Starrk was not foolish enough to think that meant he approved. He might be being given enough rope to hang himself. Starrk rubbed a hand nervously on his pant leg. Theoretically, there was no reason he could not take a lover. Aizen certainly enjoyed enough of them, other than himself.

"…" Starrk sighed to himself. Fairness was not something to be found much, in the world. There might be a double standard. Starrk briefly entertained the thought of asking permission before shaking his head. He didn't want to be forbidden from seeing Shunsui. Pushing himself to his feet, he went to find Aizen.

He wasn't hard to find. He was in the gardens, working on some calligraphy. Starrk admired the beauty of it, the graceful lines. Then he read the words.

_Birds with paper wings,  
Gliding on nature's cool breath,  
Precious like our love._

_Love? _Starrk blinked, tilting his head. He knew what the word meant, of course. It brought a pang to his heart because surely, surely that was what he had felt for Lilinette. Reaching up to massage his chest, he closed his eyes for a moment as he struggled to find her. But he couldn't. She was not there.

"Starrk. Don't hover." Aizen's gentle admonishment brought him back to himself and made him blush. Starrk went to his lord and master, kneeling beside him and gazing at the calligraphy. A hand petted his hair, possessive yet gentle. "What do you think of the poetry?"

"It is beautiful." He said because it was. "Did you create it?" He asked diffidently and Aizen chuckled, looking down at him. His eyes glowed with the power of the Hogyoku and the Throne. It was mesmerizing but also made him feel like a bird being watched by a cat.

"No. It is the work of a master. Love is such an enigma, isn't it Starrk?" Aizen said, looking at his calligraphy before beginning a picture. Starrk swallowed as he saw the birds taking shape, flying over the mountains. "Have you ever known love, Starrk?"

"Yes." He said instantly and Aizen looked down at him, a touch surprised at that ready answer. "My Lilinette…" He'd loved her like he loved no one else. Aizen smiled, amused.

"Ah, I see. The love of a father to a daughter." He said and Starrk nodded. He didn't know what it was like to have a child – he'd never met a female who could withstand his spiritual pressure, let alone bear his young – but surely that was what his love for Lilinette was like. "Such a shame she is no longer here." Starrk swallowed hard before glancing down. But he forced himself to remain still. "Was there something you wanted, Starrk? Or did you just want to see the garden?" Aizen glanced around with a small smile. "It is beautiful in the summer."

"I always love seeing the garden." Starrk said, keeping his attention on his lord and master. "But I had a request. Kyoraku Shunsui has invited me to play shogi with him tomorrow. If you do not need me, Aizen-kami?" He asked, fully prepared to hear that he could not be spared. It was easier to anticipate disappointment. Aizen smiled at him benevolently.

"Of course you can." He said and Starrk bowed his head in appreciation. "In the future, Starrk, just let my chamberlain know where you are going. It's adorable of you, but there's no need to seek me out every time."

"Yes, Aizen-kami. I thank you for the favor." Starrk said humbly and Aizen chuckled, running a hand through his hair again before gently lifting his chin. Starrk found himself caught in those strange eyes again and thought that he was not like a bird in front of a cat, after all. No… he was a bird staring at a snake.

"You can show me your appreciation later." He said teasingly and Starrk nodded slightly. "Take care not to exhaust yourself, Starrk." Aizen let go of his chin and Starrk blushed at the reminder. Of course Aizen would know what he'd done with Shunsui. He was glad to see that his god did not seem to be jealous, but he couldn't help his apprehension. Knowing Aizen, there was probably going to be a catch in this sooner or later.

Putting that thought aside, he rose to his feet and bowed to his master before leaving the garden. Perhaps he would talk to the servants about getting a slightly different outfit for tomorrow. He still wanted to conceal his hollow nature but there was no reason to wear just shinigami style garb.

He would see what they could come up with.

* * *

"You are looking very stylish today." Shunsui said, admiring him for a moment. Starrk blushed lightly, ducking his head.

"Thank you." The servants had put together this for him and he thought it was very nice. Starrk was wearing a dark brown, slightly baggy shirt with wooden buttons. The neckline was high enough to hide his fragment and hollow hole. The shirt had long sleeves with little maple leaves embroidered on the end in red and orange. There was a matching pattern around the button holes and leading down the front of the shirt. His trousers were western style and very tightly tailored, showing off his legs. "I thought there was no reason to look like a shinigami all the time." He offered and Shunsui chuckled.

"No reason at all. Would you like to take a walk first, then some shogi?" He asked and Starrk immediately consented. It was a beautiful day and he would enjoy taking a walk, even if it was only around the Division.

Really, the Thirteenth Division was beautiful. And while Starrk felt many curious and unsettled glances being directed his way, there was very little hatred. Perhaps it was because of Shunsui's resurrection. What harm had he done to the shinigami, really? Aside from Aizen winning the Winter War. And that had not truly been his doing. Starrk doubted that the loss of Kyoraku from the battlefield had made any kind of difference in the outcome.

"It's so beautiful." Starrk said as he looked up at a tree. He had no idea what kind it was but the blooms were exquisite, light pink and fragrant. The sun shone through them, adding another layer to the beauty. Shunsui knelt to pick up a few dropped blooms.

"They are quite beautiful. Have you ever sniffed one?" He asked and Starrk smiled as he was offered the flower. He took it, although he didn't need to, and sniffed the petals. Unfortunately, there was the faintest trace of rot beneath the perfume and he dropped the dying blooms, looking up at the tree.

"I have a canine sense of smell. I don't need to bring them to my nose so yes, I've smelled them." He said, then smiled a touch sadly. "The living ones smell better than the dead ones." Reaching up, he gently touched a few pink petals. "I think Aizen-kami would say there is a beauty in the dying blooms." Looking down at the ground, he tried to see it. If Aizen said it was true, then it was. Yet, the sight of those flowers, the scent of their destruction, only made him sad.

"He might be right. They die because they have to, to make way for the seasons. And they are only part of the tree. The tree is strong and alive." Shunsui said thoughtfully and Starrk glanced at him, surprised. "Do you know how trees reproduce, Starrk?"

"No. How?" He listened as Shunsui tried to explain how the process worked. It was difficult for a primitive hollow to grasp but he did get one point. "So these were just to draw the insects in? And they die because they have done their work?"

"Yes. I would think of it as a sign of hope for the future. Soon there will be fruits and perhaps, little trees." He said cheerfully and Starrk smiled at the thought.

After that they went back to the Division to play shogi and sip tea. Juushiro checked up on them once and brought them little things they called ohagi. Starrk had never tried them before and was quite surprised by the sweetness.

"I could develop a taste for these." He murmured, sampling them as Shunsui considered the board. "Mmm." He thought the sweetness of the bean curd went particularly well with the tea. Shunsui took his move and Starrk considered the board thoughtfully. He mentally played through the dozens of possible combinations. He was always good with things like this, things that were methodical and concrete. The trickier things like understanding what the people around him were thinking and feeling… that was much harder. At least he understood the problem, though. It put him much ahead of those, like Tosen, who thought they understood yet knew nothing at all.

That thought reminded Starrk that Tosen was dead and he shivered slightly before making his move. As Shunsui considered the board, he brooded on the shinigami. He hadn't liked Tosen and didn't miss him. It had taken him a while to understand that the dark shinigami thought of him as nothing but a tool, to be used and disposed of when the time came. A creature like him had no place in the perfect world Tosen had envisioned. Yet, some part of him regretted Tosen's death. Because he'd been alive and he'd had dreams. Not for the arrancar, perhaps, but for the shinigami. Were those dreams being realized? Starrk tried to push the thought away, feeling almost treacherous. Of course they were. Aizen-kami would not have lied to his most trusted subordinate…

There was a soft sound and Starrk looked up to see that Shunsui was opening a bottle.

"Sake?" He offered a saucer and Starrk took it with a smile. Then he looked over the board, realizing it was his move. Sipping the liquid, he savored the flavor as he considered his move. Vaguely, he noticed the ohagi were gone. But they would not have gone well with sake anyway. "You are brooding about something." Shunsui observed and Starrk almost spilled his sake in surprise.

"…How do you know that?" He asked, a bit amazed. Aizen could do things like that, of course, but Aizen knew him quite well. Shunsui smiled at him and Starrk was struck again by how friendly he looked, how the skin around his eyes crinkled just a bit. The lack of menace made him want to get closer.

"I just watch you. It's really quite simple." He said and Starrk shook his head.

"For you, perhaps. Not for me." He couldn't help but sound a bit sad. Although after millennia of complete solitude, was it any wonder that he did not understand others? Really, it would have been a miracle if he did.

"We are all different, Starrk. I don't play shogi as well as you. I concede." Shunsui said, closing his hand over one of the pieces. Starrk blinked and looked over the board, realizing he was quite right. His situation was hopeless. "Do you play with Aizen?"

"Yes. I win sometimes." He said because it was true. Shunsui looked impressed.

"Really? He's a true master of the game. How long have you been playing?" He asked and Starrk blinked, trying to remember. When had Aizen taught him?

"Two months." He finally said and Shunsui stared at him. The shinigami looked so taken aback that Starrk felt moved to explain. "Lilinette and I were recruited four months ago. We were the very last Espada to join his forces."

"Sweet kami. Really? And you can play shogi so well?" He sounded disbelieving and Starrk shrugged, mildly uncomfortable.

"It is very logical. I am good with things like that." He looked over the board, vaguely wishing that everything in life was as simple and logical as the board game. Shunsui rubbed his beard for a moment, thoughtfully.

"Are you good with math, Starrk?" He asked and Starrk hesitated before shaking his head.

"I only know a few basic things. You taught me." He said, remembering the lessons on how to buy things. That had given him the concept of numbers and he had learned. Shunsui blinked.

"I… didn't mean to teach you. I thought you already knew. Interesting." He said and Starrk wondered why it would be interesting. Learning by watching was how he'd mastered almost everything he'd learned in Los Noches. It seemed like nothing special to him. "Would you like to play another game?" He asked and Starrk glanced out the window, gauging the time.

"I should not. Aizen is expecting me back." The comment about not exhausting himself had made that quite clear. Shunsui nodded and Starrk thought there was just the slightest trace of disappointment in his face, quickly hidden. Was he right though? He wasn't sure. "…Aizen-kami warned me not to exhaust myself." He said after a moment, his voice low. Shunsui's hand paused for a moment, about to bring the cup of sake to his mouth. "But I would still like to thank you for all that you have done for me." The thought of what he wanted to do made his skin tingle a bit. Smiling, he stood, stretching languorously. He knew how to display his body to best advantage. Shunsui stared at him, his eyes a bit wide as he caught the undertone.

"Starrk?" He said as the arrancar knelt beside him. Starrk smiled into his face, gripping the ties of his hakama and working on the fabric. "That… isn't necessary." Shunsui said, his cheeks flushing with more than the sake. Starrk chuckled, his voice deep and throaty.

"I know. I want to." He said simply as he pulled down the hakama, revealing what was inside. This time Starrk paused to really regard the revealed member. It was large, easily as big as his own or bigger. Smiling in pleasure he licked that flesh, running his hot tongue over the soft, almost velvety skin. There was a groan above him and Shunsui quickly firmed under his attention. Pleased by the reaction, Starrk took just the head into his mouth, delicately sucking on that mushroom tip. A hand went through his hair, mutely begging him for more.

Starrk was more than willing to oblige. He took Shunsui into his throat, relaxing himself with practiced skill. He knew he had it when his nose nudged dark curls, slightly damp and pleasantly musky. Starrk closed his eyes, just enjoying the scent of what he was doing. The warm musk of skin, the distinct scent of arousal, the faintest odor of semen… He reached beneath the shinigami to gently fondle his balls, bouncing the heavy sacs in his palm. The sound Shunsui made was beautiful and Starrk savored the knowledge that he was pleasing the other man.

His technique was very good. Starrk knew that because Aizen-kami had told him so and his god would never lie. The sounds Shunsui made confirmed it again and when the shinigami panted a warning, Starrk was prepared. He took the heavy release easily, swallowing it with the ease of long practice. Drawing away, Starrk wiped his lips before smiling into Shunsui's face. The man was looking stunned at what had just occurred.

"Kami Starrk. You are so good at that!" He finally said and Starrk chuckled before kissing him. The warm taste of Shunsui's mouth was intoxicating. He wished he could stay but…

"I really must be going." He needed to please his god tonight. Shunsui's expression became set and something chased across his eyes, something Starrk did not understand. But then it was gone, replaced with a gentle warmth. Compassion? He was not sure. That was not an emotion much seen in Los Noches.

"Sleep well." Shunsui said softly and Starrk wondered if he would. It was hard to say. Leaving the room, he quickly made his way out of the Division and back to the Palace. As he did, he licked his lips, tasting just the faintest echo of Shunsui's semen.

It was a pleasant sensation.


	47. A Promise

Author's Note: I just got the urge to write this. Starrk's an asshole but his excuse is that he's a hollow. XD Enjoy!

* * *

Starrk twitched, before reaching up to scratch his neck.

He was feeling overheated with an odd, scratching feeling beneath his skin. It was not unfamiliar. In fact, the sensation was annoyingly common and it led directly to powerful thoughts about females and even a few attractive males. In other words, his body had urges and wanted to breed.

That was always a frustrating thing for him. For the longest time he'd handled such events by masturbating. Lilinette was always there to mock him which made it less satisfying than it could be, but what else was he to do? The only other option was just to grit his teeth and bear it, which led to wet dreams and more mocking. Really, he couldn't win.

Los Noches was, sadly, not much better than the sands. Starrk did not particularly care for the male gender. Or rather, he had very specific tastes. With a man he preferred to be dominated, and he liked his men to be ruggedly handsome. The only one who really did it for him was Grimmjow and the Sexta was far too busy preparing for his showdown with Kurosaki to fancy a frolic.

That left the females and his prospects there were even worse. Halibel definitely suited him – such a wonderful chest – but she was emphatically not interested. He could have attempted to force her. She likely wouldn't even hold it against him, they were hollows and understood how such things went. But it would just be so much work subduing her and her fraccion would be a nuisance. For a moment he considered trying to poach one – Mila Rose was definitely his type – but that would also be so much effort. Those three stuck together and Ayon was a nuisance. Not to mention that Aizen might not be happy, having such a commotion going on in the sands of Los Noches. Just the thought exhausted him.

There were no other females who could handle his spiritual pressure and Starrk sighed before fishing under his cushion for a much beloved magazine. Flipping to a page that really did it for him, he perused the images and hoped Lilinette would stay distracted until he was done. If he made it quick –

"STARRK!" No luck. He flinched and tried to hide the magazine but it got snatched out of his hand instead. "OI! No wanking! Why do you have to do that all the time?"

"Once a month is not all the time!" He protested. In fact, he was sure that was fairly low as far as sex drives went. "Why are you pestering me?" Couldn't he just wank in peace? Lilinette looked through his magazine before tossing it aside with a sneer.

"Why don't you fuck a real girl?" She asked and he just gave her a long-suffering look. "Ulquiorra brought in a really nice one with big tits." Lilinette put her hands out and Starrk blinked. "Why don't you go check her out? She stood up to Aizen."

"She… did?" That was extremely interesting. "Where is she?" It would be nice to have an actual body under him rather than his overused hand. And while he could fuck a Numero it was always so disheartening when they died midway through. Lilinette jerked her thumb at the door.

"Try not to make her cry." His other half added, which mystified him. Cry? Why would the woman do that? But then, Lilinette understood things he didn't, despite being a hollow. She was his nicer half. Starrk shrugged after a moment before leaving the room. It was all incomprehensible to him.

The woman wasn't very hard to find. She was being kept in Ulquiorra's wing. When he stepped into the room they were having some kind of discussion over food and the woman not eating it. Starrk paused to examine her. She was as busty as Lilinette had indicated and that made the palms of his hands itch. What he wouldn't give to have those firm globes inside them…

"Ulquiorra?" He slouched into the room and the Quatro Espada turned to look at him, just the faintest hint of annoyance crossing his face before it vanished. Likely he was irritated that he hadn't felt Starrk. He was getting good at hiding his reiatsu, these days. "Can I borrow her for an hour or two?" It couldn't possibly take longer than that. The human woman looked at him with wide eyes and he admired her little hairpins. They were really quite cute. Ulquiorra just stared at him for a moment and Starrk could almost see him evaluating the situation. If he had been beneath the Quatro, he would have refused immediately. But Starrk was the Primera and Ulquiorra was addicted to rank. So…

"Very well. But do not harm her." He said and Starrk just shrugged. Whether or not she was harmed would be up to her, not him. The Quatro left the room and he smiled at the girl, who fisted her hands in her skirts.

"I am told you were able to withstand Aizen's spiritual pressure." He said casually as he pumped his own energy into the air. She swallowed, clearly feeling his power. Yet she met it without flinching. Good. "I want to have sex with you." He said and her mouth opened as her expression became one of shock. Why was it so unexpected to her? Humans were odd.

"No!" He tilted his head at the refusal, smiling in amusement as he slowly stalked towards her. She put the couch between them, which was rather funny. Did she think that would – "Koten Zanshun!"

"…?" Starrk caught the little thing by the wings and regarded it curious as it flapped furiously. It looked like a tiny man wearing a bandanna? The wings reminded him of Ulquiorra, curiously enough.

"Damn it girl!" The voice much larger than the being it came from. "He's too strong for you to half-ass it!" Starrk lifted the creature up to examine it. It kicked him in the eye and he recoiled a little, more surprised than hurt.

"Ow." He protested mildly. The woman had a hand to her mouth, looking horrified. "What is this? I think it's rather cute." He added before thinking of something that made him smile. "Lilinette would love it." How he could picture her playing with this odd thing. It thrashed a bit more strongly.

"Tsubaki! Oh please, give him back!" She reached out to the thing in his hand and he released it. It had the good sense to fly away, back to its'… his owner. "Tsubaki! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. You're the one that's screwed." He muttered and she sniffled before the little thing disappeared. Starrk tilted his head to one side, curious but not to be deterred from his main mission.

"We will have sex. You are not strong enough to stop me." Halibel was powerful enough to deter his attentions, just as she could all the other males of Los Noches. He used just a touch of sonido and went around the couch, pinning her against the wall. His fingers tore through her clothing, revealing those teasing breasts. He smiled at what he saw. They were every bit as nice as he thought, large but perky and they would fit nicely in his large hands.

"No, stop, please!" She was wiggling against him in a way that he found quite arousing. He nuzzled her throat and paused as he felt something wet on his cheek. He looked up and to his very great surprise, saw wetness on her cheeks. She was…?

"Why are you crying?" Starrk asked, running a thumb over her cheek and gathering the tears. Then he tasted them and frowned. Salty, he found them bitter and unappealing.

"Wh-what do you mean wh-why am I c-crying? You're going to r-rape me!" She said, starting to sob. Starrk stared at her, completely taken aback. To a hollow this was a very strange reaction.

"…Yes, that's… what you do." He said after a moment, sounding genuinely bewildered. "I do not understand." Why was she so upset? Rape happened, like dust storms, hunting and being hunted. It was simply a given in life. "This must be a human thing. If you were a hollow you would either be resigning yourself and attempting to take pleasure, or telling me all the horrible things you would do to me as soon as you are strong enough." The first reaction would be something Ulquiorra would do. The second would be Halibel or Grimmjow. "You know, I can give you a great deal of pleasure if you let me." Despite all his time in the sands, he knew how to make a woman scream in passion. Several of the Numeros had, before his power had overwhelmed them. She looked at him through tear filled eyes.

"I don't want it." That made him rock back a bit. He looked at her curiously before lowering his head so their lips were practically touching. She could feel his breath as he spoke, tickling her lips.

"This is Hueco Mundo. What you want only matters if you have the power to make others respect it." He told her and she shuddered against him. He cupped a breast with one hand, dragging a gloved thumb over her nipple. More tears spilled down her cheeks and he sighed before kissing them away. "Stop. That… annoys me." It irritated him that Lilinette had foreseen this. He was causing exactly what she had asked him not to. "I will make a deal with you if you have sex with me." He finally said. She looked at him warily.

"What… deal?" She asked and he sighed. He didn't want to offer this but… the tears bothered him. Lilinette's words echoed in his head, making him uncomfortable with them.

"Let me have sex with you and I will spare one of your friends, just once." Starrk offered. It was a great concession and one that could get him killed. He knew that but… he wanted to have sex with her and didn't want her to cry. "But you must stop crying." He added. She stared at him for a moment before wiping her cheeks.

"…Yes." She said and he smiled before kissing her. He allowed his power to breathe out, filling the room with the potent energy that was his reiatsu. She gasped, trembling beneath the weight of it. He enjoyed the feeling of her body shuddering against him, the reaction to his strength. She was taking a huge amount of force and yet, she was not dead. Remarkable.

Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the couch that served this place as a bed. It was not ideal but it would do. Setting her down, he shredded the rest of the uniform, casting it aside. She was still left with the sleeves, which looked rather silly, there by themselves while the rest of her body was bared to him. Her eyes were wide and her face was filled with apprehension and fear, but she did not cry. That was good.

He reached up to unbutton his own shirt, making it a show. He saw her swallow as he revealed his body, the hard muscles. Starrk smiled to himself. He was desirable and knew it. Such a shame Halibel swung the other way… He kissed her again, exploring her throat in a leisurely fashion as his gloved hands roved across her body. Although the fabric was starting to annoy him. He tugged on the fingers of one glove, removing it and dropping it to the floor. The other soon followed and skin was moving against skin as he cupped those breasts, holding them in his hands. They felt as good as he had imagined. How would they taste?

Suiting actions to thoughts he lowered his head and took a nipple in his mouth. It tasted sweet on his tongue, warm and full of a feminine odor that teased his senses. He heard her gasp, felt her body arch just a touch. The nipple he was teasing was hardening, giving physical evidence of her arousal. Very pleasant but he wanted more.

Suddenly determined to show her what he could do, Starrk moved down her body. There were only a few scraps of fabric left down there, the fragments of her panties. He removed the few remainders before gently exploring that hidden place with his tongue. She whimpered, her hands gripping his hair tightly.

"What… are you… oh!" She gasped as he found her clit and began to tease that tiny little nub of flesh, sucking on it and making her squirm. "I – I – ah!" Then he abandoned it to thrust his tongue up into her passage, as deeply as he could. He thumbed her clit as he did that, tasting the musk and feminine juices with his tongue. Yes, she was aroused now, very aroused. Was this the first time a man had given her oral pleasure? He suspected it was. "Ichigo." She moaned and Starrk was a touch surprised. She longed for someone else? But that wasn't his business.

He pulled away before she could orgasm, holding her hips as she thrust up, whimpering at the loss of his mouth. Then she seemed to realize what she was doing and gasped, looking at him with confused grey eyes. He smiled at her expression before letting go of her thighs. Then he reached down to rid himself of his hakama, letting his aching erection spring free. How he wanted to bury it inside her! He positioned himself, being mindful of his mask fragment. In fact…

"Be careful of my mask. The edges are sharp." He warned her and she nodded, her gaze still fixed on the organ that would soon be inside her. Was she marveling at his size? He was rather large. Smiling at the thought, Starrk nuzzled her throat before pushing into her in one smooth thrust.

Her cry of pain surprised him greatly. He looked into her face, seeing her expression screwed up and tears beading at the edges of her eyes. Yet, she had been very aroused. Why…?

"Virgin." Belatedly, Starrk realized he should have anticipated that. Holding to his control with both hands, he stayed still, trying to let her adjust to the sensation of being filled. "You should have… warned me…" He grunted, fighting himself. She was so insanely tight around him, his whole body trembled with the need to take her. But he didn't want her to cry. Lilinette had asked him not to… it seemed to take forever for her body to ease but her eyes finally opened, the pain fading from her face. Starrk kissed her before beginning to thrust.

The incredibly tight heat he was buried him beckoned to him but he took it slow, careful of his inexperienced partner. His restraint was rewarded when she made a soft cry, her legs going around him, grasping him as her body truly began to respond. He nuzzled her cheek before whispering in her ear.

"You feel like velvet around me. So hot, so tight." From the flush on her cheeks and the way she gasped, she liked the dirty talk. "I feel like I could die right now and be happy." Truly, she was taking him to heaven.

"Wh-What is your name?" She gasped and he blinked as he realized he'd failed to introduce himself. A bit embarrassing when he was balls deep inside her. He speeded his thrusts a bit as he answered.

"Coyote Starrk." He kissed her throat for a moment before asking his own question. "And what is yours?" He'd only heard her referred to as girl or woman. She groaned softly before answering.

"Orihime… Inoue…" She panted out and he repeated the name, rolling it on his tongue. It had a beautiful sound. Hearing her name said that way seemed to ignite a fire in her as well and nails went down his back. They didn't penetrate his hierro but they did create a pleasant sensation. "Starrk!"

"Inoue." He said her name in her ear and saw her shudder, felt her inner walls gripping him more tightly. Kami, she was close! "Cum for me Inoue. Scream my name." He said. She stared at him, her grey eyes wide before her body suddenly jerked.

Her insides undulated around him, gripping and relaxing in a way that he instinctively knew. Starrk gasped and took her quick and hard, finding his moment of pleasure after a few quick, searing thrusts. He stiffened as his orgasm came over him, his fluids shooting deep into her core. Her body seemed to milk him for everything he had, her inner walls trembling around him.

They collapsed together, exhausted. Starrk panted, his head down and his body carefully angled so his mask fragment would not cut the fragile human he just mated. Inoue gasped and trembled, her body jolting with the aftershocks of her orgasm. Sighing in pleasure, he lifted his head and began licking away a few trails of sweat. They tasted delicious, nothing like her tears.

"…If we do that again, will you spare one of my friends a second time?" She asked after a moment and Starrk chuckled, wearily.

"Nice try. No, once is dangerous enough. If I do it over and over again, it would be absurd. Especially for the same friend." That would just be comedic. Aizen would not be amused. Orihime looked downcast for a moment before smiling. It was enchanting to the tired Espada.

"If it's a different friend…?" She asked and he chuckled again, stroking back a bit of her hair. It was quite disarrayed now although the little pins were still in place. He marveled at them again, reflecting on how pretty they were. Somehow, they were just right for her.

"Maybe. I'll think about it." If he could do this again without her crying, it might even be worth it. "You'll be the death of me." He murmured, but couldn't bring himself to care.

It would be worth it.

* * *

Starrk looked at the unconscious shinigami on the ground in front of him.

It would be the easiest thing in the world to take his life. A single slash of his swords and the man would never rise. A good cero to the back of the head and there would be nothing left of his brainpan. All very easy.

"…" Turning aside, he gazed up at the sky for a moment. "I made a promise." He reminded himself. He had a feeling he might pay dearly for honoring it, but he had made a promise. Was this man one of Inoue's friends, really? Starrk doubted it. The taichou was old and skilled while Orihime was just a girl. Still, he was protecting Karakura town, which housed her friends. So surely he qualified. Starrk was sure she would say so. Giving one last glance towards the fallen man, Starrk turned away.

Hopefully, this act of mercy would not cost him his life.


	48. A Promise - Part 2

Lupe regarded his lover with amused tolerance. His hat was over his eyes and he was pretending to sleep. Lupe knew it was a pretense from his breathing. It wasn't deep enough to signify true sleep.

Kyoraku Shunsui was a manipulative man. That didn't really bother his lover. Lupe considered it to be a minor character flaw, similar to his own tendency towards laziness. Although, it served Shunsui very well in life. He could trick people into doing what he wanted and even manipulate them into thinking it was all their own idea. Could such a thing really be called a flaw? Perhaps it was an asset.

Lupe was onto him though. After almost three years together, he knew every one of Shunsui's tricks. Sometimes he went along with it, played the game. Other times, he just ignored Shunsui and went to sleep. That was a practically foolproof way of avoiding his tricks. Shunsui sometimes tried to annoy him into waking up, when he did that, but most of the time he just threw up his hands and went away. Lupe knew it frustrated him but he also admired it.

Lupe smiled as he very carefully began to inch closer. He had an idea of how to call Shunsui's bluff. He wore those sandals without socks… He took his approach slow and careful, so as not to alert his future victim. Then he paused for a moment, smiling as he looked at the slightly hairy digits. This was fun…

There was a slight twitch as Lupe began to slowly suck on Shunsui's little toe. After giving that little part of his lover sufficient attention he let go, working his way up. Every single toe got his attention and Lupe paused on the big toe, glancing up. There was a suspicious bulge in the man's hakama and the hat was lifted ever so slightly. Grey eyes were watching him, the barest slits. Lupe let go of that toe and smiled teasingly before moving as if he was going to leave –

The movement was too fast for him to follow but Lupe felt it as arms went around him. He groaned softly as he was pulled back, flush against Shunsui's chest. The man ground against him, his erection pressing quite firmly against the younger shinigami's buttocks.

"Incubus." He breathed into his ear and Lupe chuckled. "Did you think I would let you go?"

"No. Although I did wonder how addicted you were to your pretense of sleep." He said before rubbing himself teasingly against that hard length. He heard Shunsui groan softly, felt his arms tightening for a moment. "I'm glad to see you made the right decision." He'd have been slightly annoyed if Shunsui had decided to ignore him.

"Ah, you know all of my tricks." Lupe caught the mildly troubled note in Shunsui's voice but thought nothing of it. No doubt he was just worried about how he would deceive his lover in the future. "But now…" Hands went around the waistband of his hakama before dipping inside, teasing him mercilessly. Lupe shivered, his eyes half-closing as that skilled hand found his length and caused him to stiffen. "Let's take this to the bedroom."

"Mhm." Right now they were in the gardens. Far too exposed to the neighbors. Lupe went eagerly with his lover, anticipating a very pleasant afternoon.

It was a good way to spend his day off.

* * *

Lupe picked up a glass and pressed it to the wall before putting his ear to it.

Shunsui was very clever and the young plus soul was well aware of the fact that he had many secrets. Lupe tried to keep up on them. Not because he needed to know them all – he didn't – but so that he'd just have a general idea what they consisted of. It helped him avoid bumping into them accidentally, like a ship hitting an iceberg.

"…Any sign?" Juushiro. Not that that was a surprise, the room on the other side was his office. Lupe kept his gaze trained on the door. If he heard or felt anything coming towards this room, he'd be in the broom closet. And if they wanted something from the broom closet… he was screwed. That happened sometimes but so far he'd managed to skate by on charm.

"None. He seems to have completely lost his memories." Shunsui said and Lupe wondered who they were talking about. Was it him?

Lupe wondered, often, about his past. He'd been a plus soul for only four years. One week after his entry to Soul Society, he'd been recruited to be a shinigami. It had been a touch abrupt, involving several powerful shinigami suddenly cornering him and practically demanding he go to the Academy. Given that he'd only been fishing by the river, trying to fill the constant ache in his belly, the slightly bewildered plus soul had consented. At first he'd thought they had been attracted by the strength of his reiatsu.

Later, though, he'd wondered about that. Several shinigami seemed to approach him with suspicion and wariness. The Visored, in particular, seemed to find him of interest. Starrk had been nothing but a cadet but the taichou with blonde hair, Rose, had approached him and engaged him in a rather long-winded conversation about ethics. It had been quite odd. And Kyoraku Shunsui had taken him under his wing, serving as a mentor to the young soul. That was quite a rare thing, for a taichou to take on a student directly.

It had only taken a year for mentor to turn into lover. Lupe had been the cause of that. He'd found Shunsui attractive from the moment he laid eyes on him and had decided to do something about it. Shunsui had spent some time evading him but Lupe could tell he wasn't serious about it. Being pursued was an amusing game to him and Lupe had decided to play along. He strongly suspected that if he'd made no move, Shunsui would have eventually acted. Everything was planned, with his manipulative bastard of a lover.

Chuckling slightly at the thought, Lupe kept listening. They were talking about something he didn't quite understand. A woman? The name seemed vaguely familiar to him but he was sure he'd never met anyone named Inoue. Then they said something that caught his interest.

"At least they will want for nothing. And as long as he does not visit the Living World there's no chance of his memories being jogged." That was Juushiro and Lupe frowned slightly. He hadn't been to the Living World yet. Shunsui had actually pulled him out of the field trip that would have taken him there, saying that he needed help in the Eighth. Were they talking about him? It seemed more and more possible.

Deciding he was close to overstaying his welcome, Lupe put his glass away and slipped out as undetectably as he'd come. Perhaps, when he graduated, he might join the Second. He made a rather excellent spy. As his lover, he was barred from serving under Shunsui. That was an idle thought, though. Lupe had something far more pressing on his mind.

Perhaps it was time he visited the Living World.

* * *

Of course, the question was how to do that.

Lupe took his time thinking about it. His mind was a very good one and he was quite capable of planning, and he would need to plan well to outwit Shunsui. So he set his mind to it, churning away different scenarios as he lightly dozed. Once in class, which was a mistake. The small kido the instructor used to wake him up stung, quite a bit.

Eventually, though, he had all the details hammered out. So he put his plan into effect. The first part of it was extremely pleasant for him. He waited until it was time for bed, then staged his ambush, getting Shunsui naked on his back.

"Lupe, oh kami…" Shunsui groaned as Lupe concentrated on giving him the best blowjob in the world. He loved the taste and scent of his partner, but that was not his motivation today. No, he had another reward in mind. The pleasure he was giving was just a bonus. "Uh… I'm going to…" With that bit of warning Lupe was prepared. He felt it as Shunsui stiffened with a hoarse cry and swallowed the release, letting a bit of it escape his lips and drip down onto muscled thighs. Lupe pulled away, breathing hard, and smiled at Shunsui. Then he slowly, delicately began to lap away the spilled bits. He could feel Shunsui's eyes on him and knew the man was watching his every move.

"I hope you have more for me, old man." He said teasingly. That was a joke between them, when Lupe was feeling frisky and Shunsui was struggling to keep up. He laughed, then gasped as Lupe began to massage his manhood.

"Oh yes, I think I do." He murmured and Lupe was pleased at the heat in his eyes.

"Good. Because I want something a bit different…" He smiled and pulled out a small object that made Shunsui's eyes widen a touch. "Do you mind if I top tonight?" He asked. That was an unusual request. And the anal beads he was holding were something they had only used on himself. Shunsui swallowed before giving him a roguish smile.

"You know, I might like that." He said thoughtfully and Lupe took that for permission. Soon he had Shunsui's legs bent up, gently pushing the well-lubed beads inside. They delicately popped past that opening and his lover gasped, shivering slightly at the feeling. Lupe smiled as he reached the final bead. Shunsui didn't know it, but this toy was new…

"Kami!" Shunsui arched, his fingers digging sharply into the blankets as Lupe hit the button that caused the anal beads to vibrate. "You… are… terrible…" Shunsui was gasping, his skin lightly sheened with sweat as he felt that teasing pressure inside him, the gentle roll and vibration of the beads. Lupe chuckled and gripped Shunsui's erection, gently stroking that straining flesh. He loved the way his lover's belly rippled, the gorgeous muscles tightening as he was tortured. "Oh… take it out. I can't… bear it…"

"I seem to remember a time you kept something similar in me for almost an hour." Lupe said but began pulling out the beads. He made it a slow, erotic pull, teasing Shunsui some more. The man groaned, looking up at him through hazy grey eyes.

"The next time I take you, you're going to regret this…" He murmured and Lupe smiled at the thought.

"Good." He loved it when Shunsui got demanding. Removing the last bead, he tested that opening, making certain his lover was stretched. He was and Lupe groaned as he slowly seated himself, sheathing his body in that heat. Shunsui was incredibly tight, on the rare occasions he took the top…

Lupe took it slowly, intent on drawing out their pleasure. Shunsui ran a hand through his hair before drawing him in for a kiss, full of tongues and heat. Blunt nails went down his back and Lupe shivered in delight at the sensation. It felt amazingly, remarkably good…

But he had a mission to complete. He set about it with verve and élan, enjoying every moment of it. It took a while but he managed to reduce Shunsui to a quivering puddle, his body streaked with sweat and his grey eyes wild with need.

"Sweet kami Lupe, finish it…" Shunsui groaned, desperate for his orgasm. Lupe knew all the tricks to draw it out… but he needed his gratification, too. He speeded his thrusts, stroking his partner's cock more firmly. It was only a few more strokes before Shunsui was crying out in pleasure, his body jerking as hot cum coated Lupe's hand. The feel of those muscles clamping down around him easily brought him over the edge and Lupe followed with a heady cry, enjoying every moment.

He slumped a bit, tangled with his lover and trembling slightly with the aftershocks. The ragged sound of Shunsui's breathing was music to his ears and Lupe smiled. If this had been a normal night that would have been more than enough, but he was determined to see this through. Kissing Shunsui deeply, he fished out his second toy.

"I would like a bit more." He said, filling his voice with need. Shunsui stared at him, surprise chasing across those storm cloud grey eyes. He loved the color but more than that, he loved the secrets he could sense beneath them. Was it strange that he enjoyed the feeling that he was matching wits against the man who shared his bed? Other people would probably say so. "Play with me. Tease me with these." The toy was a second set of anal beads. The first ones had been bright red, rigid plastic. These were the same brand but bright blue. Sharing such things… it just wasn't right.

"Kami. You're feeling a bit frisky, aren't you?" Shunsui said with a smile, moving up and taking the beads. Lupe went on his hands and knees, displaying his body for his partner. He gasped as Shunsui began to play with him, exploring his body with big hands before teasingly touching his entrance. The sensation of the smaller beads passing through that ring of muscle… Lupe whimpered softly, spreading his legs a bit further. That felt so good…

The larger beads created a feeling of pressure and Lupe closed his eyes for a moment, just savoring it. Then Shunsui figured out how to activate the vibrator feature and he jerked with a gasp as the beads jolted and rubbed him. It felt marvelous and he groaned, loudly, as Shunsui twisted that small piece of plastic.

"Ah. I think I might want you again." Shunsui murmured, just as Lupe had hoped. He looked over his shoulder with an inviting smile and their eyes met, grey to grey. Then he dropped his gaze, searching for the evidence of his lover's intent. He found it and smiled as he saw that heavy erection. It was huge and ready for him. "You really are an incubus."

"Only for you." He said teasingly, but with an edge of seriousness. This side of him was for Shunsui, no one else. He wondered, though, if the opposite was true. He had never discussed it with his lover and was uncertain if they were truly exclusive. Every time he thought about asking, though, he decided he didn't care. He could share. Although Lupe rather doubted that Shunsui was straying. They were together so often and he was an 'old man', after all.

The beads popped free and were replaced with Shunsui's cock, spreading him much wider as the older man took him with practiced ease. Lupe gasped at the painful yet oh so pleasurable burn, feeling the intense connection between them.

"Kami, you feel so good…" Shunsui spoke in his ear and Lupe shuddered at the warm breath in his ear, the feel of that heavy body flush against his back and buried deep inside him. Shunsui began to take him, thrusts smoothed with plenty of lubrication. "Lupe…"

Their sex was slow and smooth, building up very gradually. It was the third round for Shunsui and second for him and neither of them wanted to go too quickly. Lupe completely lost track of time, surrendering to the sensations and the pleasure his lover was giving him. Those slow thrusts kept gently teasing his prostate, making him whimper in desire.

Eventually, the pace built up. Shunsui began to go faster, riding him harder. Lupe could feel the heat behind him, the ragged breathing, and knew his own matched. He was losing any vestige of control, jerking his hips back to match every stroke inside his body. A warm hand encircled his cock, adding extra stimulation to the member inside him.

"Shunsui." Lupe moaned, his eyes glazing as the pleasure built, his whole body aching for release. "Shunsui!" He couldn't believe how good it felt. It was beyond amazing…

"St – Lupe." Shunsui said, his voice heavy and Lupe noticed the odd stutter. What name had he been about to say? Then the thought was wiped away as that thick member found his prostate again, bringing him over the edge. Lupe cried out in pure pleasure as he arched, his whole body tensing and trembling as creamy cum spurted over Shunsui's hand, onto the bed. He heard his partner's heavy, lust filled cry as he came a moment later, filling his body with wet heat. Lupe could feel the pulses of that member inside him, the way Shunsui's body tensed as he found his orgasm. Then he had to brace his arms as Shunsui nearly collapsed on top of him. "Ah. So tired…" The man behind him murmured and Lupe chuckled softly, turning to gently stroke his cheek, feeling the stubbly bristles beneath his hand. "Now I'm going to be tired tomorrow for the captain's meeting."

"Just sleep during it like always." He suggested as Shunsui chuckled, slowly pulling away from him. He gasped a little at that feeling before letting himself fall on his side, curling up in the warm blankets. Shunsui slipped in beside him, sliding an arm around him. Lupe vaguely registered that as a possible problem…

Lupe only pretended to sleep, listening as Shunsui's breathing gradually evened out and became deeper with genuine slumber. When he was absolutely certain that his partner was very much asleep, he carefully slipped out from under that arm. Fortunately, Shunsui didn't wake, just shifting slightly to take advantage of the room.

Now Lupe began his true project… stealing Shunsui's hell butterfly. He had his own, of course. But he was not authorized to use the senkaimon. If he tried he would go down the dangai instead and Lupe knew very little about that except that it was dangerous. So instead, he was trying this. Hopefully, it would work.

It was considerable effort, stealing the jigochuko from Shunsui. And it was definitely noticed by his victim. If they'd only had sex once, Shunsui would certainly have woken. Twice, and he might have. But three had exhausted the man enough that despite the mild pain, he didn't really wake up. He just mumbled a few sleepy complaints, shifting slightly at the unpleasant sensation. Lupe finally got the hell butterfly and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It really is his own fault." He muttered to himself. Shunsui had told him how to do this, essentially. He likely hadn't thought that his sleepy student would imitate his worst misdeeds, though. "Ah." Forcing the butterfly into his own soul, he settled down on the bed to sleep. He couldn't enact his next stage in the middle of the night. That was for tomorrow and hopefully, Shunsui wouldn't notice the loss of his butterfly too quickly. Really, there was no reason he should, with a meeting in the morning. Murphy did show up at the worst times, though.

He would just have to hope for the best.

* * *

"Hm?" His sensai looked at the note he'd just given her, adjusting her glasses. She seemed mildly surprised. "I thought there was a taichou meeting… well, things change I suppose. Make sure to collect your work from all your instructors."

"Hai." Lupe said with a small bow. He'd faked Shunsui's elegant handwriting and flowing signature perfectly, in the note that excused him from classes today. Leaving, he followed his instructions and gathered his work before leaving. He brought it to the house he shared with Shunsui before going to use the senkaimon.

It worked perfectly. Shunsui's hell butterfly gave him the key he needed and soon, Lupe was standing in the Living World. He didn't know what he was looking for, exactly. But assuming they had been talking about him, he wanted a woman named Inoue. Where would she be, though? What would she even look like?

Lupe decided to begin seeking out reiatsu signatures on the grounds that this Inoue person likely had some power, if she was involved with shinigami. He followed plenty of false leads and almost got kicked in the face once – that woman could see him and didn't like spirits, apparently – but he finally found what he was looking for. And when he did, he got the worst shock he'd experienced in his short life.

The name hadn't been enough to jolt his memories. But the woman's face, older but still very familiar, was enough. Lupe stared wide-eyed as the past came back to him.

_That body, warm and pliant beneath him. Her face, filled with pleasure as she panted in the most erotic way imaginable. This was not the first time they'd had sex. She almost welcomed him now, so lonely with only Ulquiorra for company. And he knew how to please her, how to make her body sing…_

Lupe swallowed as more and more memories come rushing back to him. But even as they surged and flowed, he noticed the playground equipment. The little boy sitting at the top of the slide. It was a tall, twisty one and he giggled as he pushed himself off, sliding down the brightly colored plastic. His hair was brown…

"Oh my kami." Lupe breathed. He could feel a hollow reiatsu in that boy. Could that be…? "Orihime?" He said and saw her look up, surprised. Then she turned and her eyes went wide as she saw him, not so far away. When had he walked closer? He couldn't even remember doing it. A hand went to her mouth as those grey eyes stared at him.

"Starrk?" She whispered and he gasped, pressing a hand to his chest as he remembered, so clearly.

"Yes." He said huskily before swallowing. The boy was clutching her leg now, looking out at him with the natural suspiciousness of a very young child. He couldn't be much older than four. Three and a half? "He's… mine?" He asked and she nodded, tears glazing her eyes. "What is his name?" He had never imagined this happening. He'd been a hollow and she'd been human. Not to mention that his absurd reiatsu had kept him from ever breeding, in the past. How had he managed to do it with her? Lupe had no idea.

"Inoue Sora." She said after a moment. "I named him after my brother." She said and he nodded, speechless. He knelt down, trying to put himself on the same level as the boy.

"Hello Sora." He said but the child just hid his face against his mother. Lupe smiled at the sight. Somehow, he knew it was normal for this age. "I… had no idea." And his heart twisted in guilt at the thought. He'd left them alone. He hadn't meant to, but he had. Orihime smiled at him, resting a hand on her boy's shoulder.

"It's alright. We knew you – " She stopped and Lupe looked behind him as he sensed a very familiar reiatsu. Two of them, in fact. Shunsui was there, glaring at him and Juushiro was with him. But someone would have to be with him. Without his hell butterfly, someone else would have to take him through the senkaimon.

"Lupe." He started dangerously and Lupe lifted an eyebrow at him, standing in one smooth move. He knew his posture was dangerous, his eyes hard. He was angry at them both, nearly furious.

"Don't you mean Starrk?" He asked and saw the man flinch, his anger suddenly replaced with pain. That softened Lupe's gaze, although only slightly. The cause of his anger was too profound for that. "I think we should probably talk about this somewhere else." He glanced at Orihime and her little boy. Sora didn't understand what was going on but the feel of their reiatsu was scaring him. He could clearly see all of them. Juushiro saw that as well and went past him to speak to the boy. Lupe's heart twisted a bit when the child immediately responded to the white haired taichou. Had they met before? They must have.

Lupe let Shunsui grip his arm, pulling him out of earshot. Then the discussion quickly became intense.

"You stole my hell butterfly and forged my signature. Do you know what the punishment for that is?" Shunsui asked dangerously. Lupe was not impressed.

"Yes. Three months' probation and a solid month spent cleaning anything the instructors could find for you. That's what you got after you did almost the same thing. Remember?" Shunsui blinked, his lips quirking a bit as his misdeeds were recalled. Lupe's eyes narrowed as he turned the tables and mounted his own attack. "How could you keep this from me? Did you think I would never remember?" The memories had been so close to the surface. Surely they had realized that. He gripped the pink kimono, tempted to do something violent. But he held himself back. First because it would be stupid and second… because from the look on his face, Shunsui might let him. That would not be right.

"Lupe, I'm sorry. But it was for your own good. There are enough questions about your loyalty as it is." Shunsui said softly and Lupe's breath hissed between his teeth. With what he remembered now, he knew that was true. Rose's stupid lecture made a great deal more sense now. "I know you're angry with me." That was obvious. But from the deep sadness in Shunsui's face, he didn't quite grasp why.

"I'm not just angry. I'm furious." Lupe said evenly, letting go of the kimono. "I'm not angry because you killed me. I'm not even angry about Lilinette." Was she with him now? He suspected she might be. He didn't know the name of his sword yet. "I'm angry that my son is almost four years old and I just met him today." He couldn't keep the emotion from his voice and saw a flicker of surprise, quickly followed by guilt in Shunsui's expression. "How could you keep me from them? How has she been supporting them?" He couldn't keep the anxiety out of his voice, feeling his stomach clench. A young child, unmarried… how was Orihime handling it? Shunsui blinked before smiling reassuringly, gripping his arm.

"We've been taking care of them." He assured the young plus soul. Lupe gave him a disbelieving look. "Truly, we've been supporting them. She was only kidnapped because of our conflict with Aizen and what happened with you was a direct consequence of that. She's finished high school and when he's old enough for school, Orihime will be going to University. They have wanted for nothing."

"Oh." That helped a great deal and Lupe felt a bit more relaxed. Although that left plenty of questions. "What has been happening with them? Does she have anyone else in her life?" He couldn't help but feel a bit wistful as he thought about that. He'd been an arrancar, incapable of love, but he'd felt something for that lonely, frightened young woman.

For the next few minutes, Lupe heard all about Orihime's life. She was dating Ishida Uryu and they were becoming quite serious. It was likely they would be engaged soon and little Sora loved him. She had an apartment and all her expenses were paid for by the Gotei 13. In many ways, it was almost ideal. The only thing that was missing from little Sora's life was a father and hopefully, he would have that soon.

Of course, that brought Lupe to some other questions.

"Did you become my lover just to keep a closer eye on me?" He suddenly asked. That was a thought that had been troubling him from the moment he'd remembered. Shunsui gave him an innocent smile.

"Oh, not _just_ for that! You're a very attractive man, Lupe." Shunsui said lightly and Lupe's eyes narrowed before he gripped the kimono again.

"That so? Well, let me make something clear to you. If you decide that your work is done and it's time for us to part ways, so kami help me I _will _rip your balls off." Lupe said, perfectly sincere. Shunsui stared at him, a touch wide-eyed. "You belong to me." He couldn't help but sound possessive. Although he'd never been that way before… but remembering did make a difference, it seemed. He didn't want to share. There was a chuckle and Shunsui gripped his chin, pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss.

"Lupe, my 'job' looking after you will never be over." He whispered in his ear and Lupe shuddered, feeling his body stirring. It was so sexy when Shunsui did things like that. "Count on it." Lupe tried to kiss him again but was held back by a hand in his hair. Shunsui smiled at him, amused and predatory. "Now. I think you need to go back to the Academy. I daresay there are many, many things waiting for you to clean." He said and Lupe sighed, slumping a little in that grip.

"Do I have to…?" Of course, he knew the answer to that. Lupe quickly found himself being herded back to the senkaimon, although they did let him say goodbye to Orihime and Sora. Finally, with many backward glances, Lupe went back to Soul Society.

He might not be a regular part of Sora's life, but they could not keep him completely away from his son anymore.


	49. AU - A Daring Escape

Starrk slouched through the flying fortress, his hands in his pockets.

His personal situation sucked. Right now, he was trying to take his mind off it by wandering aimlessly. It wasn't really working. Everything he saw reminded him of the likelihood of his demise…

Trying not to think about it, he wandered into the section of the fortress reserved for prisoners. Most of the cells and other containment units were empty at the moment. Starrk walked past them, unseeing. Then he entered one particular room and stopped, staring.

"…Well, this is rather impressive." The prisoner in question was a handsome man with long hair and a scraggly beard. He was suspended over a giant hole in the floor, held in anti-gravity restraints. Starrk peered down into the hole and saw sharpened spikes, infused with a pattern of electricity. "Huh." Someone really didn't want this prisoner escaping. Right now, his head was down as he dozed. The stranger lifted his head, though, as Starrk's presence woke him. Their eyes met for a moment and Starrk noted that his were a shade of grey that nearly matched his own. Then those eyes widened.

"Coyote Starrk!?" The man sounded utterly disbelieving and Starrk grimaced. People made that mistake all the time and he hated it.

"Just Starrk. I am not entitled to his other name." He said it extremely sourly. The man looked confused and he sighed before elaborating. "I'm a clone. Number eight, to be precise. Unless I'm deemed a success I don't get to be called Coyote." Or live. The other seven weren't around. And Szayel had been making a few noises about his power levels that Starrk didn't like.

"…Oh. That sounds difficult for you." The man said with sympathy. Starrk considered it highly suspect. "Ah, could you possibly help me down?" He asked brightly and Starrk regarded him with a jaundiced eye.

"You must think I'm an idiot." He said flatly and the man looked taken aback. "For all I know, you're the mad eyeball eater of Quirm."

"Was there such a person?" The prisoner asked wonderingly and Starrk sighed, reaching up to rub his forehead.

"Yes. He was executed three months ago." He glanced down at the spikes again. "He was held almost the exact same way you are now. I think I'll be going." His work here was done. The man in the restraints quickly called to him.

"No please wait! I'm Kyoraku Shunsui. Have you heard of me?" Starrk stopped because that WAS a name he'd heard. Often with many swear words attached.

"Kyoraku Shunsui?" He turned back, regarding the man thoughtfully. Not all of his deeds were well known and one of the secret ones was something he was intimately involved with. "You've done many things… tell me. How would you say that you injured Aizen the most?" The traitor had lost many things to this man. But there was one wound that never seemed to close. If he was truly Kyoraku, the man would know the answer. The man in the restraints gave him a crooked smile.

"I killed the assassin Aizen sent after me… his lover, Coyote Starrk." He said softly and Starrk felt the breath in his chest freeze for a moment. Then he swallowed heavily.

"I see." He didn't have Starrk's memories. He couldn't… the man's body had been buried by Aizen's enemies, given some courtesy in death. But he knew what had happened to the man Aizen was trying so hard to replace. "If I get you down and help you escape, will you help me?" He asked, suddenly intense. Shunsui looked at him with a thoughtful expression.

"You're that certain you will fail?" He asked and Starrk's mouth set in a hard line.

"Yes. Szayel says I'm powerful enough but my power is twisted." He said shortly. "And I got into the records. Two of the others were correct in terms of power and aptitude but they didn't 'break right'. I don't know what that means but it doesn't sound good." He suspected it had to do with whatever Aizen had done to the original Coyote Starrk. What had he done to that man? What brainwashing, what torture and conditioning? "I'm not interested in being the eighth entry into the record books. But just so you know, I'm worthless as a hostage. They would just shoot me then kill you." He was sure using him as a hostage had occurred to the man in front of him. Shunsui smiled at him charmingly.

"It's like you know me already! But I'll make a deal. Get me down and we can help each other." Shunsui said and Starrk nodded. He didn't trust the man, not yet, but he did have faith in self-interest. Starrk knew the fortress and Shunsui didn't. It would be insane for him to eliminate the clone until he'd gotten full use out of him. Starrk would be watching him for treachery after that, but for now he was safe.

"Fine." Starrk immediately set to work. It didn't take long to disable to anti-gravity restraints, but making sure Shunsui didn't die on the spikes was a bit tricky. Starrk managed it by launching himself over to pit just as Kyoraku started to fall and snatching him out of the air, landing neatly on the other side of the pit. The man in his arms gasped before pulling away.

"That was a trick worthy of myself, Starrk-san!" He said lightly and Starrk just shrugged, releasing him.

"My failure is my power, not my skills." He was a complete success in that area. All of Coyote Starrk's physical skills had been perfectly replicated in his eighth clone. "Shall we?" They needed to hurry. There were undoubtedly cameras and there was nothing Starrk could do about that. Shunsui nodded, sobering.

"Yes, we need to hurry." The man said, echoing his thoughts. Starrk pulled out one of his guns. They were faithful replicas of the originals, given to each clone in turn. He passed the black and silver thing to Shunsui, who took it without comment. Then he pulled the other and concentrated on their escape.

It wasn't easy. The escape in progress was soon detected and they had to shoot through plenty of resistance. But they moved very, very quickly, with perfect coordination. Starrk knew the fortress so well, much better than any invader could. He took Shunsui directly to the hanger where they kept all the vehicles and went straight for the one he knew best. A speedy, stealthy little thing, it could outrun nearly anything. That was what they needed. If it came down to firepower they would be destroyed. When they got onto it, though, the hanger doors wouldn't open.

"Tell me you know what to do?" Shunsui asked, his voice controlled. Starrk nodded, typing away at the terminal.

"Yes, I stole Gin's codes a while ago." He said absently as he entered them. "You're very lucky, you know. I was going to try to escape soon." His chances would not have been good, ultimately. Strangely, they were much better now that he had Shunsui. The other man gave him a place to go, people who might take him in. "Ah, there we are." His stolen codes had been taken and the doors were opening. As soon as they were fully opened they shot out like a greased rocket.

There were many attempts to stop them, of course. If it had just been Starrk, they would probably have succeeded. Piloting was not his greatest skill. However, Shunsui proved to be an absolute master at it and Starrk just sat back in his shock harness and monitored the system stats as Kyoraku did the piloting. The ship shook as they took a hit but the powerful shield generators managed to disperse it.

And then they were free. Starrk smiled as he saw they had exited Aizen's airspace and were on their way to friendly territory. Well, friendly for Kyoraku Shunsui. He served Yamamoto. Which reminded him…

"So I'm hoping you might have some use for a defective clone in the Gotei 13?" He said absently, looking out the window and seeing the clouds beneath the ship. However, that was just a pretense. All his attention was on Shunsui. The man glanced over at him with a smile.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something. You will have to submit to plenty of scans and likely a tracker." He said and Starrk considered it for a moment before nodding. The scans were only practical. No doubt he already had plenty of trackers and other gunk that needed to be removed. Although…

"I hope you're not planning to do any in depth neural reads. My power will defeat them." He said and smiled crookedly as Shunsui shot him a surprised look. "That's why I was considered defective. Szayel was trying to find a way around it." His mind was as impenetrable as a brick wall. Aizen just couldn't have that. The first Starrk had been putty in his hands and the eighth clone was anything but.

"Neural…? But that's excruciatingly painful!" Shunsui protested and Starrk sighed. He was well aware of that. It didn't work but it still caused him immense pain. "What did he DO to that man?" He said to himself and Starrk shrugged.

"Everything you can imagine and plenty you can't. But it doesn't matter, he's dead." He said it calmly. Really, the first Coyote Starrk meant nothing to him. He was a piece of history and an unwanted burden, nothing more. "I intend to be my own man, not Aizen's or anyone else's. Something for all of you to keep in mind." If they tried to mold and manipulate him, they would pay for it in the end. He would make certain of it. Shunsui gave him a quick, assessing look before turning his attention back to the controls.

"If you're willing to join us against Aizen I don't imagine that will be a problem. We're all rather individual, in the Gotei 13." He said and Starrk did believe that. It suited what he knew of that organization. They had lunatics like Zaraki working for them, after all. Settling back into his restraints, Starrk closed his eyes and let himself doze.

Hopefully, this would be the start of something good.


	50. Times Like This

At times like this, Ise Nanao hated Kyoraku Shunsui.

She knew he didn't mean to hurt people. He was just thoughtless and fickle. Usually the women and the occasional man he took up with understood that. Shunsui used them until they no longer amused him and then tossed them away, oblivious to any heartache. Although usually, there wasn't much. His affairs lasted a month, typically.

This was different. When Coyote Starrk had first come to their Division, he'd essentially been Shunsui's prisoner. Nanao remembered how the man had looked. So quiet and defeated, his gaze on the ground and his posture slumped. His body still showing the wounds that should have killed him, would have killed him, if fate had not intervened.

He'd felt broken to her, then. Like something inside him had been torn past mending and he was merely going through the motions of being alive. Eventually, it was decided to see if the Espada could be rehabilitated and made useful to Soul Society. Starrk had been given a weaker, removable version of the retaining collar and put into an empty spot in the Eighth. She hadn't expected much from him, which was good because she hadn't gotten much. Starrk hardly seemed to care about anything, although he did try to do his duties, in a desultory fashion.

Then it had changed. Coyote Starrk had begun to look up, to smile. His work showed more effort and he actually began to make himself useful. He even began a few tentative friendships in the Division. Normally, Nanao would have been pleased and thought his heart was mending. But she saw the way Starrk looked at Shunsui. She saw the soft, adoring eyes of a spaniel and wanted to scream. Why would Shunsui pick someone so vulnerable for his games?

It lasted a surprisingly long time. So long that Nanao thought, perhaps, that Shunsui really hadn't meant for it to happen. Perhaps he'd been swept up in the passion and forgotten himself, forgotten the ultimate outcome. But it didn't matter. Nine months later, Starrk failed to show up for three days. Normally that would have been cause for alarm but when she asked Shunsui about his erring second seat, he'd just given her a melancholy smile and told her to give Starrk some time. On the fourth day, Starrk had shown up for work in a rumpled uniform, unwashed, unbrushed and smelling of sake. She'd sent him home immediately to wash, get changed and sober up. He didn't come back that day, but he did the next. Finally, he was presentable… physically, at least.

Mentally, he had taken a huge step backwards. He was looking at the floor again, and when he spoke it was halting and short. His face seemed permanently fixed in an expression of sadness and Nanao began noticing disturbing things about his reports. They were getting done, but his handwriting was suffering and he kept making rather odd little drawings in the margins. They seemed repetitive, patterns of lines and dots repeated over and over. She had no idea what that meant – she was no psychologist – but it didn't seem like a good thing.

Shunsui tried to speak to Starrk once, during that time. Nanao could hear the conversation and his voice was very gentle – at least he understood how much he'd hurt the arrancar – but Starrk was nearly mute. His few replies consisted mostly of single words. Eventually, Shunsui gave up and left, an unusual expression of guilt on his face. When Nanao went to see how Starrk was doing she found him single-mindedly filling up a page of paper with those patterns of dots and lines. His face was almost calm as he did it and she suspected it was some kind of strange coping technique.

Nanao wasn't surprised when, a week later, Starrk quietly approached her to ask for a transfer to another unit. She was only surprised it had taken so long. But Starrk had friendships here, developed before his heart had been so cruelly broken. He didn't want to give them up, but he could no longer stand to be in the presence of his taichou, the man he was supposed to trust above all others. Nanao could only assure him that she would see to it, and he would likely have his transfer before the week was out. She cautioned him that he would likely move down in rank, but Starrk was indifferent to the prospect. Even if he'd been well, he probably wouldn't have cared. Rank meant nothing to the arrancar.

As she left her office from her meeting with Starrk, Nanao saw Shunsui. He was chatting up a giggling pair of girls who looked like they might be twins. His smile was completely normal and it was clear to her that he'd already gotten over what little feeling he might have had for Coyote Starrk. She adjusted her glasses and looked away before speeding her steps.

At times like this, she truly did hate him.

* * *

Juushiro looked into his tea, feeling deeply pained.

Nanao had come to him with her little problem and he had honestly been shocked. He'd thought Shunsui had stopped that sort of thing. Juushiro wasn't sure why, but his friend just couldn't settle into a relationship. He always got bored, felt the need for variety, something. The few times he'd tried to hold down a real relationship he'd become a serial cheater, and Juushiro had had several talks with him about it. Shunsui had finally stopped trying at all, settling for just one night stands or very short term liaisons.

So Juushiro had been shocked and horrified to hear that Shunsui had maintained Starrk as his lover for almost nine months. He really had no idea how it had gone on so long. But now, it was over and apparently Starrk was taking it very, very hard. Nanao wanted to know if he could take the arrancar on. He had one seated officer position open, which was fortunate. The only other possible spot was with the Eleventh and they both agreed that that would be a terrible fit for the arrancar. It would be better for him to go in unseated somewhere else.

There was a knock at the door and Juushiro looked up from his tea, clearing his throat. He knew who it had to be.

"Come in." He said and the door slid open to reveal the object of his thoughts. Coyote Starrk really didn't look well. As Nanao had said, he kept his gaze on the floor and there was an air of deep sadness about him. "Please, take a seat." He offered and Starrk settled on the cushion. Juushiro poured him a cup of tea and the arrancar just looked at it blankly, making no move to pick it up.

_Where do I even start with this?_ Juushiro wondered as he gazed over the man. He'd seen heartbroken youngsters in his day but rarely anything like this. Starrk looked completely gutted by his loss.

"Nanao has asked me to take you into my unit. I'm afraid the only position I have available is for an eighth seat." That would be a huge step down from his current spot as a second seat. Starrk nodded, his hands folded in his lap as he stared into the tea. "Would that be acceptable?" He asked and the arrancar nodded again.

"Yes, taichou." His voice sounded so empty, so lifeless. "I do not mind." He added after a moment and Juushiro rubbed his forehead for a moment. He almost wished the arrancar did care. Accepting such a demotion so calmly would be inconceivable for a shinigami.

"Starrk… I know how difficult this must be for you." He said softly and the arrancar finally looked up. Their eyes met for just a moment before he looked back down again. "If you need help, please let me know." He would do everything he could to support this man.

"You are his best friend." Starrk observed, no real emotion in his voice. Juushiro frowned at that, sipping his tea.

"Yes, I am. But I know he's not perfect and this is one area in his life where he's always been a complete failure." Juushiro didn't know what piece of his history or mental kink was responsible for Kyoraku's behavior towards his lovers. But he knew his friend and would not lie to himself or anyone else about his bad qualities. Personally, the good outweighed the bad, but Juushiro had never considered taking Shunsui as a lover. "You can come to me for help. I only want what's best for you." He said, trying to put his absolute sincerity in his voice. He really, truly meant it. Starrk's eyes flickered a moment before he gave a small sigh.

"I will be fine. Will the transfer be complete soon?" There was some life in his voice then… eagerness. Juushiro nodded, feeling pity for him.

"Yes, you can begin moving your things over tomorrow." That would leave Kyoraku without a second seat but Nanao was sure she could cover for the lack. And she was the one who would be in charge of reorganizing things. Starrk nodded, taking that as a dismissal and standing to let himself out. Juushiro noticed that he hadn't touched his tea. Sighing to himself, he began to gather up the cup and saucer.

This was all very, very sad.

* * *

Juushiro didn't see much of Starrk for three months.

He did get reports, though, and for the first two months they were what he'd expected. Starrk was doing his work, but slowly and with those odd little doodles Nanao had noticed. Whenever he didn't have much to do, entire sheets of them could be found. It was troubling and more than a little sad. Rukia tried to gently urge the arrancar to go see Unohana, but he refused completely.

In the last month, something changed. Starrk suddenly seemed happier and the lines and dots disappeared from his work. His work was faster and more enthusiastic and he showed more energy when it came to cleansing hollows. Overall, it was a great improvement, but a puzzle. Then Starrk requested a private meeting with him and Juushiro immediately consented.

When the arrancar stepped inside, his appearance surprised Juushiro greatly. Mainly because he seemed to have gained weight, mostly around the middle. His clothing hid it well but he could easily spot it, with his attention to detail. In addition to that, Starrk was smiling faintly and seemed almost happy. Juushiro smiled back as he poured them both some tea and waited for Starrk to speak.

"Ukitake taichou, may I ask you some questions?" The arrancar asked after a moment. Juushiro nodded.

"Of course." He said easily, wondering what Starrk could want.

"When a female shinigami is pregnant, they may request paid leave for the period of five years?" Starrk asked, which made Juushiro stare.

"Uh… yes, they can." That was because children were so incredibly rare for shinigami. Allowances for them were generous. Starrk sipped his tea before speaking again.

"And then the child will receive a full education courtesy of the unit in question?" Starrk asked and Juushiro nodded, mystified. Then he bit his lip. Had Starrk somehow…? But surely a hybrid child would be even harder to create than a pure one! And who was the mother? "How would I go about making such a request?"

"What?!" Juushiro started before he suddenly stopped, his gaze falling to that distended abdomen. Starrk was only gaining weight in one place. But surely…? "I… don't understand. You are a man." That was obvious. Starrk gave him a smile, then, and it was a touch sad.

"I am a Beta." He corrected as Juushiro blinked. "Hollow reproduction is divided into Alphas and Betas. Alphas do the siring, Betas carry the litters. Sex does not matter… Alphas can be female. Halibel was an Alpha, to put that into perspective." That made Juushiro's mouth drop open a little. "I thought I was sterile. After my transformation to arrancar, my heats stopped, completely." Starrk ran a hand over his belly with a small, possessive smile. "It seems I was wrong." He sounded pleased with that but Juushiro could see an immediate complication.

"Shunsui… is he…?" He said and then winced as Starrk's face set into an emotionless mask. The Espada met his eyes and he saw only an aching void in that soft grey.

"I do not know the identity of the sire." Starrk said firmly and Juushiro stared at him, taken aback. Then he swallowed as he understood what the arrancar was doing. He was refusing to acknowledge the paternity of his child. In some ways, it was a wise decision. But…

"Starrk, have you thought that through? The Kyoraku clan could be very helpful to you." He said softly. If this child belonged to Shunsui, Starrk would have the right to petition them for support. The arrancar's lips tightened for a moment before he shook his head.

"Very dangerous." He corrected and Juushiro bit his lip. "They could take my child away. I have researched this." He said harshly. His grey eyes were cold and hard. "In a situation like this, with an unmarried female, it is up to her to raise and care for the child. Only if the man is part of some kind of noble clan is he obliged to help in any way." Starrk said and Juushiro nodded. Soul Society did not have child support, unless a marriage was involved. "But in such a situation the noble clan can demand the child. I will not give them such power over myself and my offspring."

"I understand what you're saying but… Starrk, this child will be a hybrid. They won't want to formally acknowledge it." Even with the potential strength of the child… the Primera Espada and Kyoraku Shunsui, one of the strongest taichou in the Gotei 13… the Kyoraku clan would not want to acknowledge something so disgraceful. The added layer of weirdness caused by Starrk's sex would only make them less inclined to take the child. "They would probably support you on the condition of absolute silence." That would be their likely reaction. Starrk shook his head.

"I understand that, but I cannot take the chance. This child is all I have." He said softly and Juushiro saw a hint of pain in those calm grey eyes. He was not over his loss, he'd just transferred his energies elsewhere. "I am an abandoned Beta and I will raise my pup alone. That is the way of things, for both hollows and shinigami." Starrk paused before smiling. It was a strange, brittle smile. "It seems that some things are a universal constant." He said lightly and Juushiro flinched. That… stung.

"Starrk…" Juushiro finally shook his head. "I can't stop you from doing this. But I will have to tell Shunsui. I'm his friend." Keeping a secret from someone that close to him… he just couldn't do it. Starrk nodded.

"He would find out anyway. I do not expect him to be interested." Starrk said calmly, which pained Juushiro because he knew it was true. Shunsui would be shocked and horrified, followed by a desire to pretend this hadn't happened. And Starrk would help him with that, with his desire to avoid any ties to the Kyoraku clan. "But how do I process the request?"

"I can get you the paperwork." Juushiro had it in his filing cabinet. He quickly got the appropriate forms before bringing them back. "Have you gone to see Unohana?" This pregnancy would be the first of its kind. Starrk paused as he took the form before shaking his head.

"No. I suppose I should." He sounded reluctant and Juushiro gave him a severe look. "I will go tonight, Ukitake taichou."

"Please, call me Juushiro." Suddenly, that formality irritated him. And besides… "You won't be under my command much longer." Starrk was reasonably far along. He would be pulled from his duties soon. The arrancar glanced down before nodding.

"As you wish, Juushiro-san." He said and Juushiro watched him leave, feeling torn. Then he came to a decision and nodded to himself. He was not going to let the arrancar be alone through this. It might be difficult, as standoffish as the man could be, but Juushiro was going to support him.

No one deserved to face such things alone.

* * *

Things went rather interestingly after that.

Shunsui's reaction was exactly what Juushiro had predicted. This was his first child and his best friend wanted nothing to do with it. It caused Juushiro a great deal of pain and he'd had some sharp things to say, but they hadn't changed Shunsui's mind. He didn't want a family and his greatest wish was to never see Starrk again. He was very glad to hear that Coyote Starrk felt the same way.

It all made Juushiro's heart hurt and for the first time in centuries, there was a genuine rift between him and Shunsui. They would eventually patch it up, but for now he really didn't want to talk to his friend. Instead, he put his efforts into a new project. That project was getting to know Coyote Starrk. Even for him, it was taxing. The man was friendlier than he had been but he was still withdrawn and wary. But there was a turning point, and that was the baby shower.

"SURPRISE!" Starrk started violently as a bit of confetti fell on him from the ceiling. He looked up at it before looking around, wide eyed. Rukia was smirking behind him. She'd led him into the trap and he hadn't suspected a thing. Juushiro smiled before enlightening the arrancar.

"It's a baby shower!" He said cheerfully as everyone laughed. A lot of people were present. Starrk hadn't been with them long and wasn't outgoing, but by now everyone knew about his circumstances. And they'd also known that hollows most certainly didn't have baby showers. No one wanted to miss his reaction, and it really was priceless. The hollow looked adorably confused, glancing around like he felt he might have fallen down a rabbit hole.

"Baby… shower…?" He said in a lost tone. Sentaro and Kiyone jumped in to explain. They had decorated the room and organized the food, competing with each other the entire way.

"It's a tradition from the Living World!" Kiyone said helpfully before Sentaro interrupted.

"We've started doing it in Soul Society!"

"When a first baby comes and the mother doesn't have anything – "

" – Everyone chips in to get them things!" Sentaro talked over Kiyone and she shot him in the gut with an elbow. "Ow!"

"It's great! And it's a party! There's food and games!" She finished in a rush, eager to get it all out.

"Oh. Err, I don't think I need much…" Starrk said awkwardly and Juushiro stepped forward, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"Of course you do. Babies go through diapers like you wouldn't believe." He knew that, intimately. He had no children but he'd helped raise his siblings.

"Oh. I, I had been planning to use fabric ones…" He said and Juushiro winced. He knew those, too. They had been all that was available when his siblings had been small and Juushiro thought that disposable diapers were a huge improvement. "But thank you." Starrk said belatedly, realizing he was being a bit ungrateful. Juushiro smiled and steered him towards the games.

Everything went rather well. The games were a bit random, perhaps, but everyone had fun. Starrk particularly enjoyed the piñata full of candies. The arrancar had developed a sweet tooth since he'd joined Soul Society and he definitely appreciated those, along with the cake. It was green, since they had no idea of the child's sex. Starrk had preferred not to know.

The gifts were very practical. Really, it was one large gift that everyone had contributed to. A hamper filled with diapers, bottles, onesies and other small-but-vital items that the arrancar would need. He accepted it all graciously although Juushiro could see some of it puzzled him. That worried him. How much did the man know about looking after children? After the party was done and they were cleaning up, he decided to ask.

"I raised pups, once." Starrk said quietly, looking at the onesie in his hands. It was blue and white. "But they were… I was an adjuchas. They were puppies and very cute. I – I knew this would be different, but not how much until now." He gently set the little piece of clothing down before looking at Juushiro. He could see the fear and distress hiding beneath the calm front of those grey eyes.

"I can help you. I have many younger siblings." Juushiro offered, drawn in by the vulnerability he could sense in the other man. Starrk gave him a smile and this time it was warm and genuine.

"Thank you. I would appreciate it." He said quietly and for the first time, Juushiro could sense a genuine trust between them.

Things became easier after that. Juushiro often invited the arrancar to tea and really got to know him and his living circumstances. The latter was a bit wince worthy. Starrk had needed to leave the Division barracks, but there hadn't been anything suitable in subsidized housing. So he'd gotten the cheapest bachelor flat available, down in the Rukongai. Starrk only cared that it was cheap. He didn't understand how terrible it really was. There was no running water, no heat, no real comforts. Just a room with a floor and a pile of pillows. Juushiro knew that was adequate for the arrancar – he could wash at the Division – but what would he do when the child came? From the vaguely worried look on Starrk's face when he described it, he was starting to realize that might be an issue.

But Starrk did not let his fears overshadow his joy. One day, the arrancar shyly offered him a look at the ultrasounds. Juushiro smiled at the tiny glimpse into that inner world. Was the child sucking his or her thumb? He rather thought so.

To make sure the child grew well, they had removed the collar. That proved to be extremely wise but for a completely unrelated reason. Starrk had been removed from active duty and was very round when he arrived at the Fourth, suffering from a bit of smoke inhalation. It was nothing really, to an arrancar, but someone had set the building on fire and they had used an accelerating kido. If he'd been wearing a limiter Starrk might have died. And almost fifty innocents living in the building had perished. The Onmitsukido was investigating but now the arrancar was homeless with the child only a month from being born.

"Starrk, please come stay with me at the Ugendo." Juushiro offered, not really impulsively. He'd been thinking about it for a while. Starrk needed support but it was more than that. Juushiro admired his pride, the way he faced his troubles without flinching. "For the child." He added as he saw the arrancar was thinking of refusing. Starrk hesitated, clearly thinking about it.

"I do not like to take charity but… for the child…" Starrk finally said and Juushiro was very glad. "So much is gone." He murmured, running a hand over his belly. "The gifts, all the things I bought." He sounded very melancholy, thinking about it.

"Those things can be replaced." Juushiro said gently and Starrk nodded. "Unlike the lives that were lost." There was a flash of something in the arrancar's eyes. Anguish?

"Yes. I… hope that attack was not aimed at me." He said softly and Juushiro understood completely. He felt partly responsible for the tragedy.

"The Onmitsukido will find the killers." Juushiro assured him and Starrk nodded, although not too hopefully. "Come, I should show you the way." The arrancar had never been to his home before.

It didn't take long to get Starrk settled. His instincts made him desperate to nest and he was soon sleeping on a mat in one of the spare rooms. Juushiro paused to watch the man sleep and felt a strange twist in his heart. He looked so vulnerable, snoring quietly on his side. It was the only comfortable position he had, with his belly so distended.

It was only two more weeks before Starrk gave birth. In that time, Juushiro helped him replace everything that he had lost. The arrancar went into labor early and woke him up late at night, his expression tight with pain.

Juushiro was the one who took him to the Fourth and held his hand as he brought his child into the world. The process was strange, to say the least – he'd never imagined how the Espada's organs would shift to give birth – and it was not painless. Starrk let go of his hand when the pain became too much, clutching his blankets instead.

"Is… it… supposed to hurt… this much…?" Starrk panted out, his face sheened with sweat. Unohana was checking his organs, helping him with the delivery.

"Everything appears to be going well, Starrk-san. You can push any time." She assured him and he whimpered as his belly rippled. The former Espada let out a low groan then, bearing down with the contraction.

The labor was not long, as such things went. A scant six hours and the infant slid into the world. The only thing that gave them pause was the umbilical cord, which was wrapped around the child's neck. Fortunately it was loose and had caused no issues. An exhausted Starrk was soon holding his child, looking down at the baby lovingly.

"A boy." He said with a small, pleased smile. "Coyote Ashkii." He whispered, gently touching a tiny, pink cheek.

"I thought Coyote was your first name?" Juushiro asked as he gazed at the child. He had a very powerful and very mixed reiatsu. The only obvious sign of his hollow nature was his fangs as he yawned. Juushiro blinked as he realized the baby had come equipped with a full set of teeth. There was a soft whine and Starrk brought the baby to his chest. He and Unohana both watched as Starrk's body produced some form of milk for the infant. Whatever it was, the child took to it readily.

"It is, but shinigami put their last name first and I never use that name anyway. I will give it to my child." He said with just an edge of sadness and Juushiro thought of Shunsui. His heritage was not reflected in the child's name at all. It was particularly sad because he thought the boy resembled his friend. The shade of his fluffy hair seemed to be warmer than Starrk's dark brown.

Unohana kept Starrk overnight, to make sure he and the child were well. A researcher from the Twelfth was allowed to take some samples from little Ashkii, but nothing more. Juushiro was certain there would be quite a bit of interest in the first true hybrid in the future.

He was right about that. It seemed like everyone wanted to see the baby. Except Shunsui. His absence was notable and Juushiro couldn't help but feel pained by it. Still, it was probably just as well. Seeing the father of his child would have caused Starrk immense pain.

"I wish to apologize." Starrk said to him quietly one day, over tea. Juushiro blinked at him, unable to imagine what the arrancar was apologizing for. "I am taking too long finding accommodations. It is difficult." The arrancar seemed tired, which was no surprise with a very young child. Juushiro winced at the thought.

"Please, Starrk, stay as long as you like." He said before hesitating. He wasn't sure the arrancar would take the offer well. He was so proud, so independent. "You know, you could stay here and pay me rent." He finally offered. He didn't need the money, of course, but it would make Starrk feel better about remaining at the Ugendo. The arrancar looked at him in surprise and almost shock.

"You… would do that? Why?" He said and Juushiro smiled at him.

"I love children. I've always wanted one of my own." He couldn't help a bit of sadness at that. He'd dated a few women, over the years. His coughing fits had always scared them away. He'd had better luck with men, but nothing permanent had ever formed. "You and Ashkii are welcome as long as you want to stay, Starrk." He said sincerely. Starrk examined him for a long moment, his expression troubled and searching. Juushiro wondered what was going through his mind. What was the arrancar looking for? Then there was a high, thin cry and his head turned.

"Then, for his sake, we will stay." Starrk said before pushing himself to his feet, going to tend to his infant. Juushiro watched him go, feeling relieved and just a touch sad. Despite all the time they had spent together, Starrk did not fully trust him.

He sometimes wondered if the arrancar would fully trust anyone ever again.

* * *

Juushiro smiled as he looked down at little Ashkii. He was asleep in his crib, slowly sucking on his thumb.

The full set of teeth was not the only sign of his hollow nature, now. He was growing rapidly, much faster than could be expected of a shinigami infant. It was only a week after his birth and he was capable of holding a bottle, which was a bit of a relief for Starrk. He was also sleeping well, often managing the entire night. That was a dream for any parent.

The other sign of his nature was the reddened skin around his neck. Fragments of bone were beginning to erupt from his tender skin, causing the infant much distress. Unohana had given them a cream although she was unable to tell them why it was happening this way in the first place. The only theory they'd been able to come up with was that having mask fragments might cause complications during birth, so instead they were coming in later. Starrk had no insight and was very worried about his son. The crying and scratching made the new parent a touch frantic.

Starrk was proving to be a wonderful 'mother' to his boy. He instinctively knew what the child wanted and was extremely responsive to any demands. That would change as the child grew older and 'need' turned into 'want', but for now he was exactly what little Ashkii needed. Juushiro glanced over at the man. He was dozing on a cushion on the floor, just waiting for his child to wake and demand his presence.

Then he felt a brush of reiatsu and blinked. It was extremely familiar but why would…? Abandoning the sleeping baby, Juushiro went to the front door.

"Juu!" Shunsui was there, holding a jug of sake and smiling at him. "I've been missing you. Could I come in?" He said charmingly and Juushiro hesitated. This was normal, on the rare occasions that they had a disagreement. Shunsui would come by with some sake and charm, they would play a board game and all would be well. But…

"Shunsui, this isn't a very good time. Perhaps I could come to your place?" Juushiro offered. He wasn't really angry at Shunsui anymore, just saddened. The other man was still his friend and a good one, despite his limitations. Shunsui blinked, looking taken aback.

"But Juu, why would… you…" Shunsui was looking over his shoulder and Juushiro glanced over. He was unsurprised to see a tired looking Starrk, eyes closed as he rubbed his face.

"Juushiro, what is – oh." Starrk lowered his hand and stared, expression blank with shock. Then it faded into a calm mask but Juushiro could see the quiet pain in those steel grey eyes. "…" His gaze flickered between them for a moment. Then there was the high cry of a baby and the arrancar glanced behind him, slightly relieved. "I must go." He said before vanishing and Juushiro breathed a bit easier. Starrk wasn't the kind to stage a scene, but his anguish was incredibly painful to see.

"…What is he still doing here?" Shunsui asked after a moment. He sounded almost angry. Juushiro reached up to rub his forehead for a moment.

"He lives here. He's playing me rent." His friend looked at him in disbelief and Juushiro felt a bit of anger towards him. "He doesn't have much support, Shunsui." He reminded him and his gaze dropped, a tiny bit of guilt chasing over his face. "I would love to see you but perhaps your place?" Juushiro did not want to bring Shunsui into the house with Starrk and his child. That would be cruel to everyone involved. Grey eyes lifted and regarded him, a touch troubled, before Shunsui nodded.

"Yes, that might be best. See me tomorrow?" He asked and Juushiro nodded, relieved. "Later Juu."

"Later, Shunsui." He firmly shut the door as his best friend left. Then he went to seek out Starrk. He was sure the arrancar would be having some kind of emotional reaction to the brief meeting.

He was right about that. Starrk was holding little Ashkii to his chest, letting the baby nurse from him as a few tears slid down his face. His expression was so empty, so void that Juushiro would not have been able to guess what he was feeling if not for that. Even his eyes seemed empty, cold and distant.

"Starrk?" Juushiro sat beside him on a nearby cushion. The arrancar was sitting on the same one he'd just been using for sleeping, a large, bright green affair. "Are you well?" He asked quietly and grey eyes flickered towards him.

"I am fine." He said quietly before rubbing his face on his shoulder, removing the wetness. "… When he told me it was over, I should not have pressed." He said and Juushiro listened, open and sympathetic. Inwardly, he was glad that Starrk trusted him enough to talk about it. "But I… I thought everything was so wonderful. I thought he would want to mate me for… a very long time." Mentally, Juushiro substituted 'forever'. That was what the arrancar truly meant. "It was so short. I asked why… I… did not let him get out of answering that question. I wish I had." His voice was fainter now, almost inaudible. "He told me that I interested him because he did not know what I was thinking, because I was so quiet and hard to know. But now… he understood me. I had let him know me and it was disappointing. I was… nothing special. Boring, like all the others, without thoughts to interest him. So it was time to go." Starrk stared at his child for a moment before looking up. His expression was terribly vulnerable. "Do I bore you, Ukitake taichou?"

"Of course not." Juushiro said, a bit shaken by the question. Although he could see Shunsui saying that. It would be entirely within his character. "Starrk, I'm so sorry. Everyone bores Shunsui, except, perhaps, myself." But he had never tried to give Shunsui everything. He'd always held back, kept a bit of himself. And in terms of age and experience, he was Shunsui's peer. He could keep up with the other man, match wits with him if he cared to. Starrk was not that kind of person. "I find you… restful." Being around Starrk was like sitting on the banks of a deep, cool river. Even when he was fully relaxed the arrancar didn't say much. Starrk just looked at him for a long moment and Juushiro felt pained at the fragile uncertainty in his face. Then the man nodded.

"Thank you." He said softly and Juushiro could see he was a touch relieved, but not entirely. He did not trust, fully. Then Ashkii let go of his 'mother' and cooed, which made a small smile tug on Starrk's lips. He began to tickle the boy and make him giggle, playing a silly game with him. Juushiro watched with a smile.

Whatever pain Starrk was still suffering, he had his child to fill the void.


	51. The Games We Play - Part 3

Shunsui tried to eat his lunch before stopping with a sigh. Glancing around guiltily, he tossed the small bento box off the roof before settling in to just enjoy the day. It was far too nice out to be cooped up inside doing paperwork.

He was just starting to doze off when his senses registered a familiar and not entirely unwelcome presence. It was slightly unwelcome because it reminded him of his unwanted cargo. But Coyote Starrk had the strangest sixth sense…

"Shunsui. I thought you might like this?" He opened his eyes, pulling his hat away from his face. Starrk was giving him a smile, holding… what?

"What is that?" He asked after a moment of puzzling. The arrancar chuckled softly, taking a seat beside him.

"A corndog. There's a fair going on in the Seireitei and somehow, I knew you would want this." He explained and Shunsui took the item, looking it over dubiously. Then he bit into it and blinked.

"How do you always know?" It was sort of annoying that Starrk could always find what he craved. Somehow, the combination of sweet yet grainy dough and salty meat was precisely what his taste buds desired. At first he'd been tempted to refuse, when the arrancar had brought him things, but it hadn't taken long for him to decide he would just be spiting himself. They were, inevitably, things he truly wanted. Starrk shrugged.

"No idea. Some kind of instinct?" He offered and Shunsui nodded before taking another bite. Although it would be better with – "Mustard?"

"Now that was just uncanny." He muttered, sitting up and taking the mustard packets. The mustard added the perfect touch to the already tasty corndog. Half-closing his eyes he ate slowly, savoring every bite. The corndog was gone all too soon, to his disappointment. But the warm heaviness in his gut was very comforting. "Starrk – oh." The arrancar had slumped down beside him, taking advantage of the pleasant tilt to the roof and the beautiful day for his own nap. Shunsui smiled, just looking at him for a moment. Then he lay down himself, putting the hat back over his eyes.

They could stay here until Byakuya and Nanao caught up with them.

* * *

"I am not a woman Starrk." Shunsui said firmly. Starrk glanced him over before smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. They were talking in his office, away from any prying eyes.

"Shunsui, no one with eyes could mistake you for a woman." He said sincerely and Shunsui's glare intensified. The damned arrancar was making a joke! "And you're not listening. I'm proposing that I be the woman in this relationship."

"Aren't you usually?" He said, mostly out of his offended pride. Starrk immediately changed his tactics and gave him puppy eyes. "Stop that!" It was truly disconcerting, how Starrk could look like a sad puppy expecting a kick. Starrk sighed and reached out to take his hand before gazing into his eyes soulfully. It was honestly very difficult to resist.

"Shunsui, I understand why you want to do it this way. I'm sure your clan would give our child a good life." He said huskily and Shunsui swallowed, trying to resist the sexual attraction. Why did the arrancar have to be so handsome at times like this? "But they would never allow me to see it. Please, can't we try this first? I want the chance to be a parent."

"…" Shunsui bit his lip. He did understand where the arrancar was coming from and damn it all, he was weakening. "Have you talked to Byakuya about this?" He asked. The Seireitei had not changed with the times and, to be fair, paternal leave was a very new concept to the Living World. It couldn't be expected to trickle through that quickly.

"And Yamamoto Soutacihou." Starrk said serenely and Shunsui blinked. "Kuchiki taichou is not too happy about the thought of losing me for such a length of time but he admits I'm far more replaceable than you are. The Soutaichou favors it, for the exact same reason."

"Hm." Of course, they didn't know about his original plan. If they had, they might have favored that even more. He'd been thinking he could ask his clan to furnish foster parents for the child. He wasn't ready to be a parent and certainly not like this!

_If I'm not ready now, when will I be?_ A treacherous, inner voice asked and Shunsui ran a hand through his hair. _I'm a thousand years old. Isn't it time?_ Children had been part of his dreams, in a vague sort of way. When he found the right woman to settle down with and share his life with. He just hadn't found her yet. But would he ever? And Starrk was right here and offering. At the most, the time commitment would be twenty years. That was nothing to someone his age.

"I don't know… it might be hard for the child. Everyone will know." He said after a moment and Starrk nodded, his grey eyes dark. "Although they'll also know about the Royal blood." That was the one thing that saved this from being a complete disgrace. His clan was actually happy about the news, to his eternal irritation. But they knew how incredibly powerful his offspring would be and all the blame could be cheerfully pinned square on Mayuri. The fact that the second parent was an arrancar was something they were attempting to ignore. "…I don't know. I have to think about it." But if Starrk really could remain with the child for the entire five years of leave, maybe they could make this work. "Just don't think that I'm a woman." He growled and Starrk smiled at him mischievously.

"I think someone needs a bit of ego stoking." The man said playfully and Shunsui stiffened. He was about to deny any such thing when Starrk snaked his arms around him, rubbing his body against him in an inviting way. "Prove to me what a man you are. Take me right on that desk." The thought was… immensely appealing. Shunsui growled and roughly jerked the arrancar around, doing just what he'd been told. Starrk was face down on the desk, spreading his hands to hold his weight and avoid destroying the papers as Shunsui bent over him, breathing in his ear.

"Believe me, I will." He promised and felt the arrancar shiver under him. He tugged the man's pants down, just barely refraining from ripping the fabric. He suddenly _wanted _Starrk, wanted the other man so badly it almost hurt. For a very brief moment he realized it was probably the pregnancy, messing with him in a different way. Then he forced the thought into a deep, dark box, never to be opened as he found the lube and proceeded to dominate the arrancar.

He might be doomed to carry the brat but he was damned if he would be the woman in their 'relationship'.

* * *

"Hey Kyoraku! How's the l'il starfish doin'?" Hirako Shinji would, in Shunsui's opinion, look much better without his teeth. Unfortunately he knew better than to try it. Leaving aside the fact that they were in a captain's meeting there was the unfortunate possibility that he might lose. Shinji was very nearly his equal.

"As usual, you have your zoological metaphors completely mixed. It really should be a seahorse." Rose said pedantically and Shunsui sighed to himself, glancing up at the ceiling as he begged the almighty for patience. "And seahorse young are called fry. Did you know that seahorses mate for life?" Shunsui choked a bit at that. "And that they – "

"Yeah, yeah, we all know you've got an encyclopedia open under the table." Shinji interrupted before Rose could give them a very long and boring lecture on the habits of seahorses. Rose was not even remotely offended to be cut off. Really, he was used to it. Then Yamamoto walked into the room and they got down to business.

A lot of it was the same usual, boring things they dealt with during peace time. Promotions that required Yamamoto's approval, reports on things they all really didn't need to know… Shunsui considered most of these meetings a waste of time. Fortunately they only happened once a week and when there wasn't something actually important on the table, were typically limited to an hour. This one was no exception. But eventually his turn came.

"I am told you will not be taking parental leave, Kyoraku?" Yamamoto rumbled and Shunsui winced to himself before tackling the situation directly.

"No. Starrk-fukutaichou is requesting paternal leave instead." He said and there were definitely a few raised eyebrows around the table. "Kuchiki taichou has indicated that there will be no problem." Byakuya nodded, confirming that.

"A fukutaichou is far easier to replace than a taichou. He is aware that he may have to go in as a seated officer when he returns to duty. Starrk fukutaichou has indicated this is acceptable." There were nods around the table. No one could keep a fukutaichou spot open for five years and it wasn't fair to make it a temporary replacement. On the very rare occasion a fukutaichou or above went on maternal leave, she typically had to take a slight demotion when she returned. Of course, the woman in question would also be first in line when a new spot opened up.

"That's wonderful news!" Juushiro said and Shunsui couldn't help but smile. His best friend was looking forward to the child more than he was. In fact, he sometimes thought that Juushiro's happiness was part of the reason he'd agreed to Starrk's plan. If the child had been placed with a family in the Kyoraku clan, Juushiro wouldn't have been able to spend much time with him or her. "I'm sure he'll be a wonderful parent." Juushiro said sincerely and Shunsui couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh, he will. He's very much looking forward to it." Starrk was very enthusiastic, in his quiet way. Shunsui honestly wondered if he knew what he was signing up for. But he did have several younger brothers and sisters, just like Juushiro. He'd never changed a diaper in his life, though. Would Starrk know how to do that? He rather doubted it. But it couldn't be too complicated.

"Excellent. Process the paperwork and I will approve it." Yamamoto said, which settled things. There was no going back now but Shunsui found he really didn't want to. He had always wanted a child someday and shinigami were not fertile at all. Perhaps he shouldn't pass up this chance to be a parent.

It might not come by a second time.

* * *

Giving birth was not a painless process.

Shunsui had fancied it would be. After all, it was reiatsu based. Wouldn't the child just… pop out? He'd forgotten that this kind of pregnancy was essentially a last ditch measure to preserver the Royal bloodline. It wasn't meant to happen this way…

That meant that Unohana essentially had to cut the child out, by severing the lines of reiatsu that were feeding it. And, to his surprise, there was a stranger helping her. It turned out he was a healer from the Celestial Realm, specifically come to Soul Society to help him survive the birth. Shunsui was a bit daunted by the prospect. Was this really so dangerous to his life?

No one offered an answer to that and he didn't quite dare to ask. Instead, Shunsui just tried to remain calm as the work on his reiatsu began. He bit his lip as the pain built, his hands clenching into fists.

"This hurts… quite a bit…" He finally rasped out. The two healers didn't say anything, too intent on their work. It was Isane who responded. She was there to provide support and observe but not directly intervene.

"I know taichou. They have to cut through the reiatsu web your body has built. That is not pleasant, but they're almost done." She reassured him and he grunted at a particularly painful twist in his abdomen. "And there is no sign of reiatsu bleed."

"Oh. Good." Shunsui was no healer but he knew that a rip in the aura, causing a reiatsu bleed, was generally fatal to a soul. It wasn't very good for a human either although they could survive it and eventually heal. Souls were more vulnerable to that kind of wound. "Argh!" He sensed the final cut and saw the two healers drawing forth the bundle of reiatsu. It was blindingly powerful and as he watched, entranced, it solidified from pure potential to a physical form. There was a deep breath before the child gave a powerful scream. "Is it…?" He asked, staring as Unohana cradled the infant, who bawled his or her little heart out. There was no wetness or blood, just a dry but very unhappy baby. He had no idea of the sex. This kind of pregnancy did not allow for that.

"You have a girl, Kyoraku taichou." Unohana announced with a smile. The healer from the Royal realm was also smiling, looking at the little girl as her face started to turn red. "Would you like to hold her?"

"I… yes. Please." Exhaustion was setting in but he still held out his arms. He knew how to hold a baby and soon had her cradled close. Somehow, that seemed to calm her and eyes finally opened. They were a soft grey, not the blue usually associated with birth. The shade of her hair matched his own, he noticed. "Kyoraku Amiko." He murmured, running a finger along one tiny cheek. Suddenly he wondered how he could even have considered giving her up. She was so tiny and helpless, so utterly precious. "I… ah…" Now he was tired beyond words. He blinked, struggling to stay awake as the baby gripped him with a surprisingly strong hand. Unohana reached out to gently take her from him.

"You must rest, Kyoraku taichou. We will take her to Starrk-san." She assured him and he nodded, closing his eyes. He just needed to rest them for a moment…

Shunsui fell into sleep without even realizing it.

* * *

Shunsui watched Starrk feed little Amiko. She was clutching the bottle in pudgy little hands, sucking like her life depended on it. The formula inside was actually breast milk, collected and stored for such situations. In the Seireitei more scientific methods were rarely used and young mothers routinely made money by selling extra breast milk.

"She is so adorable." Starrk murmured, resting a kiss on that tiny head. Shunsui smiled at the sight, feeling a bit wistful. He needed to go back to work. He'd taken a week off to spend with his daughter but it was time to get back.

"I never imagined I would be so reluctant to leave her." He murmured before sighing softly. This was how it had to be, how it would have been with a woman. He needed to get used to it. Starrk smiled at him, his grey eyes warm and happy.

"You'll see her tonight." He said before hesitating. "Ah… Shunsui?" He cocked an eyebrow at the arrancar's tone. He sounded mildly uncomfortable. "That girl, Kimi. She asked me if I would object to the two of you continuing your liaison." He said and Shunsui blinked in surprise. Although that was the sort of thing Kimi would do. She was a very sweet and considerate young woman. "I told her that we weren't exclusive before this happened and I see no reason to insist on it now." Starrk said quietly and Shunsui frowned at the blank look on the arrancar's face. He honestly couldn't tell what Starrk was feeling. Well, why not confront it directly?

"Does that bother you?" He asked bluntly. There was a pause before Starrk flashed him a quick smile. It was that wonderfully mischievous look that he seemed to get when he was channeling the lost Lilinette.

"Only that I can't join you in a threesome." He said candidly and Shunsui choked at the thought. "It's so annoying. Without Lilinette I can't USE my reiatsu effectively but it's still THERE." He sounded vexed. "She offered to include me, you know." He said and Shunsui stared. Kimi had said that? He would more have expected it from Aiko! Nanao wanted him to stay far, far away, even now that he had a reiatsu shield to prevent more pregnancies. She was quite mortified by her drunken lapse in judgement. "I had to decline due to my spiritual pressure. It's such a damned nuisance."

"Have you thought about wearing a retaining collar?" He asked, suddenly intrigued by the idea. Taking Kimi with Starrk… that would be very interesting. He'd rarely had a threesome with another man but he had done it once, a long time, with Juushiro. They had both been drunk and his best friend's expression in the morning had been priceless. Starrk stared at him, surprised.

"A retaining collar? No, I… oh." He stopped, looking confused for a moment. "In Los Noches that would have been asking for an assassination." He said after a moment and Shunsui winced. "Even as a fukutaichou I wouldn't… but I have no rank now. That might be a good idea. Do you think there could be one strong enough for me?"

"Of course." Shunsui said, mildly surprised that he would doubt it. But Starrk was used to thinking of his power as the black force of doom. "You're not that strong, Starrk." He was about the same level as Yamamoto, perhaps. That was certainly very strong but retaining collars could be made to accommodate that level of reiatsu. "You should go see Kurotsuchi about it." He'd managed to avoid returning to the Maggot's Nest for his misdeeds, although it had been a near thing. He had gotten an official censure and another black mark on his record, along with some other disciplinary action Shunsui was not privy to. That was between Kurotsuchi and Yamamoto. All he really knew was that Mayuri hadn't been happy about it. That was good enough. Starrk winced a little.

"Maybe I'll put that off." He muttered. Shunsui definitely sympathized. How in hell had Mayuri managed to get something inside him to activate his Royal blood, anyway? Kami only knew. Amiko let go of her bottle and Starrk gently burped her over his shoulder. That made quite a mess, but he had a cloth already in place for it. "But you really should get going. You're going to be late." The arrancar reminded him and Shunsui nodded with a small sigh.

"You're right." It was time for him to leave. With a single backward glance, he left the house. The Espada and their young daughter would be there later.

He honestly couldn't wait.


	52. The Future Is Now

_Almost a hundred years after the end of the Winter War._

"Mrph." The young man slowly chewed through his Hamwich. Was it ham? Was it sandwich? Was it some godawful concoction created from a diseased mind that should have been deleted from the gene pool before it could reproduce? He was going for option three.

"That thing smells vile. What is it?" His small companion asked and he pulled it out of his mouth, smiling down at her.

"It is vile and it's called a Hamwich." He waved the wrapper in front of her. "It has to specify it's made with real meat. You can't tell from the taste." To him, it tasted like sawdust. She took the wrapper and began to read the ingredients.

"I'm sorry Wiley. This shit is poisonous. You've got a week left to live." She said with perfect sincerity and he snorted before glancing out the window of their transport. They were about ready to dock at the underwater observatory.

"Don't call me that. And thank you for the diagnosis, Lily." He said as she grinned at him. It was, sadly, his name. Wiley Coyote. He could only presume his mother had hated him. He'd never met her, taken away and enrolled in the foster care system at a very young age.

He wasn't exactly a stunning example of the successes of government care. No, he'd been through six foster care homes before he'd lucked into his last one. His new family had been looking to earn social credits by rehabilitating a young criminal, but they'd wanted one who would not pose a threat to their young daughter. Coyote had been perfect. His crimes were almost entirely thefts and general mischief and his sexual evaluations indicated a complete disinterest in females. Also, his psychological evaluations indicated he was well adjusted, in regards to sexuality, at least. About as safe as any non-related male could be. A female might have been better but the only ones available had been far more troubled then him.

"Where did you get this anyhow? Don't tell me our nanny gave it to you, I'll call you a liar." She said as he watched the sea life going by. It was already beautiful. How much better would the observatory be? It was set in the middle of an oceanic nature preserve.

"A vending machine. I'm hanging onto the Epic bars for later." Those were genuinely delicious, unlike the crap he'd just put into his body. Lily sighed, shaking her head.

"You eat way too much. Aren't you done growing yet? You're huge!" She said and he tried to ignore her, although it was the truth. He was tall and incredibly well built for a young man. But then, he enjoyed physical fitness for fun. He loved sprinting, especially, and was very good at it. Perhaps someday he could even do it professionally. The Olympics? It might not be just a dream.

"Hush. We're coming in for docking." He said as there was a faint shudder through the ship. There were whispers among the other students as air hissed and the locks began to engage. Soon, they would be able to enter the observatory.

Coyote got out his tablet and began calling names, ticking off every student as they answered. He was not here as a student, but as a student mentor. It was his job to keep all the youngsters in sight, tally them when they arrived and tally them again when they left. There was also one real adult, the caretaker of the observatory. He would be in charge of enforcing the rules while all of them were there.

Coyote immediately didn't like the man, when they met. It was a combination of things. Part of it was his personal grooming. Coyote didn't like anyone who slicked back their hair with that much gel. The rest was his handsome face coupled with a charming yet oddly false air. Coyote had a lot of experience with untrustworthy individuals and he was smelling that here. Glancing around, he could tell most of the youngsters couldn't see it. But then, they were just children. He was vastly more experienced with the world.

Still, the man showed them around quite nicely and Coyote shelved his suspicions. It didn't require much to be the monitor in a place like this, after all. It was probably a good place to put a well-connected slacker.

All of them marveled at the ocean life. It was incredibly vivid. Tropic fish swirled over them, and they ooh'd and aah'd as a shark passed by. A recording played, telling them all about the history of the place. Everything was fine.

And then it wasn't. Coyote blinked as the light through the water seemed to change. Orange? And there was a trembling through the whole observatory. An earthquake? The caretaker muttered something before leaving them to go to his office. Coyote just concentrated on keeping everyone calm, assuring them it was nothing but an earthquake. Soon they were listening to the recording again. The light was getting dimmer though. Why?

"Coyote?" Lily whispered by his elbow. She knew him well and knew he was tense. "You really think everything's fine?"

"…No, not really." He said after a moment but very quietly. He didn't want to worry the other children. They were all privileged, from a very good neighborhood. He wasn't sure how well they would deal with fear of the unknown. He'd had an unsettled life and was handling his fear with practiced discipline. "Tell me when that man gets back." He didn't like the man but he definitely wanted him back. Anything to have a real adult around.

Then the observatory shuddered, this time violently. There were cries from the students and Coyote's eyes went wide as a horrible suspicion came to him.

"No!" He ran out of the room, ignoring the children calling for him. He went back the way they'd come, almost skidding on the floors several times. His shoes were new and shiny, without a great deal of traction. He came to a halt in front of the docking facility and stared at what was there… or rather, what was not there. "…That motherfucking sonufabitch." Coyote whispered. "He stole our shuttle." Why though? What had moved him to do this? He couldn't expect to get away with this level of theft. That underwater shuttle was worth… Coyote's imagination failed him but he knew it was expensive. This was not like stealing a hover car!

"Coyote, what's wrong?!" Lily was right behind him and she came to a halt. "What… oh." She saw exactly what he'd seen. More students came and there were exclamations and some signs of panic. That galvanized him and he turned to reassure them.

"Everyone calm down. Yes, the shuttle is gone. But someone will be coming for us. We just need to stay calm." Coyote said with authority. He might not be a real adult but he looked like one. That was enough for the children to trust him, particularly when he was all they had left. "Let's go back to the observing rooms." He gently herded them out, back to listen to the recordings and watching the marine life. "Lily. Who here can be counted on?" He asked her quietly and she looked up at him worriedly before swallowing.

"Raymond and Diana." She pointed the two students out to him and he called them over. Soon they and Lily were handling the others and he tried to make it clear that they were in charge before slipping out. He needed to see if he could find any sign of what had happened.

He couldn't find much. But when he tried to get a signal on the cable, there was nothing but static. Frowning, Coyote tried to raise the internet. Again, there was nothing. His frown deepened as he thought about it. Satellite reception didn't work this far underwater but there was supposed to be a fibre link, part of the link that went clear across the ocean. What was going on?

Regrettably, he completely missed the old radio the other man had used. If he had, he would have known what was going on and why the caretaker had stolen their transport… and how remote the possibility of help really was.

Not that it would have made much difference in the end.

* * *

After the first two days Coyote knew they were in deep, deep trouble.

The children were hungry but not starving, not yet. That was due to the contents of a vending machine and his ruthless rationing. Thankfully there was a modest desalinization unit so water was not an issue. But food was.

"Why isn't anyone coming for us Coyote?" Lily asked as she curled against him. That was the question that was plaguing them all. Why hadn't help already arrived? Everyone was talking about their parents and wondering where the hell the rescue teams were. Coyote closed his eyes for a moment.

"Something bad is going on, Lily." He didn't know how bad. But he knew that at this point they needed to assume they were on their own. "I think we're going to have to try something." He'd found some old blueprints of the place. It was insane and perhaps even impossible, but he had a plan. Lily looked at him trustingly before hugging his chest.

"You'll think of something Coyote. You're the best brother ever." She pledged and he smiled, gently running a hand through her hair.

"And you're the best sister." He really loved her, his adoptive little sister. She snuggled tightly against him, sheltering against his side. Coyote put an arm around her, making a promise to himself.

He would keep his Lily safe.

* * *

The next day, he had to rethink that.

"Damn." One look told him something very unpleasant about his plan.

"Coyote, you'll never fit!" Lily objected and he sighed, running a hand over his face.

"I know." They were look at a maintenance conduit. It was meant to carry robots that would do work on the fibre links and other things that Coyote could hardly imagine. It was part of the blueprints he'd found, in the control room. "The question is, can all of you fit?" Glancing around he found the biggest child in the group. "You! Try to get in. Tell us how tight it is." The rotund little boy looked daunted but came over to try. He fit through the hole easily, not to Coyote's surprise. The children were all quite young and a lot smaller than him. "Can you move well?"

"It's a bit tight but I'm fine." He said, his voice muffled and Coyote nodded. Lily looked at him, her eyes wide.

"But YOU can't fit! We can't leave you!" She objected and he smiled at her before hugging her reassuringly.

"You have to. You can get help for me." He said and she sniffled, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. The other children didn't like it either. They were going to leave the only person they thought of as an adult behind? To what? "So hurry it up. Get help for me as soon as you can." He urged them and there was some hesitation before another girl entered the maintenance tube. Then another, and another. Lily was one of the last but Coyote calmly urged her through. If they stayed the children were going to starve to death. They needed to go.

That left him completely alone and Coyote wiled away the time reading the books and magazines the caretaker had left behind. There was some porn that didn't interest him and some rather good horror novels. It helped pass the time and get his mind off the painful ache in his gut, the emptiness in his stomach. All he had was water, now. What little food was left, he'd made the children eat before they left.

He didn't die of starvation though. The very next day, Coyote knew there was something strange about the air. He didn't really recognize the symptoms of nitrogen narcosis, but he'd been drunk and also smoked marijuana in his life. He recognized the intoxication and intuited that something was wrong with the air in the observatory. What else could be causing it?

"Well, fuck my life." He lay on his back, grinning at the ceiling. It was moving in slow waves, making him blink as he tried to focus. "Fuck my life…" He was going to die down here. He knew that now. Coyote started to laugh. It was a full, deeply amused sound. He coughed then and just couldn't stop. Something was irritating his lungs now. He had no idea what. "I… Lily… be safe…" He mumbled as his eyesight became hopelessly jumbled. Consciousness was fading and there was not a single think he could do about it.

The young Coyote fell into what felt like a wonderful sleep. One from which he would never wake.

* * *

The ghost of the young man managed to make his way to the surface.

He followed the conduit, taking the path he'd sent the children on. Coyote knew he was dead and vaguely thought he should be going somewhere, but he didn't really believe in Heaven. He wasn't sure what waited for him but right now, he needed to find out what had happened to Lily. Where was she?

The children had made it out of the maintenance tube. But what they had found… Coyote stopped in shock, looking at what was left of the city he'd been born in.

"Oh my god." He whispered as he looked over the ruins. Buildings were torn apart. Girders lay in the streets and there was a dark ash over everything. "What happened?" The sky… the sky was dark. There was an odd reddish light in the distance. "…Nuclear?" That was all he could come up with. If it wasn't that, what else could it be? "Lily!" He had to find her. Although the ash… radiation? Were the children still alive?

They were not. It didn't take Lupe very long to find the bodies. They'd managed to escape through the maintenance tube but they hadn't gotten very far after that. The ghost stood helplessly by the little corpses. From what he could tell, though, radiation hadn't killed them. It took much longer than a single day. Had they suffocated? Was the air bad, somehow? He was only a child. He just didn't know.

"Coyote!" He looked up sharply then smiled as he saw the little girl running towards him. She had the same kind of chain in her chest that he did. He was willing to bet that that was the sign of a ghost. "I've been looking for you! Are you alright?" Lily demanded as she skidded to a halt and he touched his chain, making the links clink.

"No, not really." He said humorously and she looked at the chain, her shoulders slumping before she heaved a sigh.

"I hoped you would be okay down there, for a while anyway. What happened?" She asked and he told her about the air. "Oh. About the same as what happened here… sorry Wiley. You tried." She said and he nodded sadly. "There was this weird guy with a sword!" That caught his attention and he blinked. "He did something with the other kids, made them disappear but I hid from him. I wanted to be here when you arrived. I mean, I figured it would take longer but you would, you know?" She said and he smiled, touched. "I thought about going back down the tube but I… I didn't want to see." She looked down and he gently ruffled her hair.

"It's fine Lily." She hadn't wanted to watch him starving to death. He could completely understand that. "Should we try to find this man with a sword?" There was no reason to remain. Lily made a face.

"There's a lot of them searching around. They'll find us." She predicted and he nodded. "Let's just find a good spot to hang out."

"Alright." They both walked through the ruins before finding a nice vantage point. There was nothing around them but devastation, bodies half-buried in the ash and broken buildings. Lily idly swung her legs as Coyote rested his chin in his hand, bored. At least in the observatory he'd had some books. What was the other side going to be like? He wasn't too worried about going to Hell. If that happened because you did some pot, the universe was grossly unfair.

"…So much work!" They both perked up a little as the heard the voice. "Yama-jii was right. Can't believe the numbers…" The voice faded a bit and they missed the last part. But they heard another voice reply.

"…Everyone has to pitch in, even taichou." That word was meaningless to the two ghosts. "Wait, I'm sensing something. A powerful soul." They did hear that but didn't connect it to themselves. So they were mildly surprised when two strangers suddenly appeared in front of them. Coyote looked at them both alertly.

"That clothing is Japanese." He told Lily, who looked at him trustingly. He was an anime fan so he knew things like that. Lily's taste in cartoons was still My Little Pony. Which was, admittedly, a very good cartoon. "Although I have no idea why that man is wearing a kimono." That was peculiar. The stranger with the kimono also had a straw hat and he tilted it back, looking at them both with a stunned expression.

"Coyote Starrk!?" He said and Coyote blinked at him, taken aback.

"…What are you calling me?" He said after a moment. Starrk… why did that sound so strangely familiar? Coyote swallowed, feeling a lump of apprehension in his throat. This was strange and uncomfortable. He was tempted to flee but what was the point? He put an arm around Lily, pulling her closer as he looked at the two of them. The second man had very long white hair. That man put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"They're plus souls Shunsui. They can't remember." He said which made Coyote frown. Lily spoke up then, still cuddled against him.

"His name is Coyote. Wiley Coyote, because his mom was a bad, bad person." Lily told them and they both looked at her with some confusion. "Oi! Don't you guys know anything? Wile E. Coyote! He's a cartoon coyote who keeps trying to catch the roadrunner!" She said and the man in the hat started to smile. Coyote grimaced, running a hand over his face. "It's like naming someone Rose Thorn or Ima Hooker – "

"Lily!" That was definitely too adult a joke for her. "Please call me Coyote." He said firmly. Starrk sounded nice but it wasn't his name. "Are you going to show us on?" There was no reason to linger.

"And who are you, anyhow?" Lily asked. They had no idea. The one with the white hair smiled at her, enchanted by the child.

"I'm Ukitake Juushiro. This is my friend, Kyoraku Shunsui." He introduced them and Lily tried to repeat the names, stumbling a little over the foreign syllables. Coyote had a much easier time of it. "We will show you the way to Soul Society." He assured them before drawing his sword. His friend also drew his weapon and Coyote frowned. But then they reversed the blades. They were going to use the hilts?

To Coyote, what he did next was nothing unusual. He caught Kyoraku's wrist before the hilt could touch him and held the man away from him easily. He saw grey eyes widen in something like shock but had no idea why.

"Soul Society… what is this place like?" He asked suspiciously and the man took a breath before smiling at him in an attempt at reassurance. But he seemed shaken to the young plus soul.

"It's not perfect, but it's where souls need to go. A second world, where most suffer no hunger or disease." He said and Coyote frowned at him. Most? "Those with power do need to eat. If you suffer pangs, come to the gates of the Seireitei and say that Kyoraku taichou sent you." He said before smiling. Coyote blinked at the sight of it. It made the man very handsome and he blushed lightly, releasing his wrist.

"I will, thank you." He said and Shunsui smiled at him again before gently resting the hilt of that sword on his forehead. It was cool and there was something engraved on it? He could feel the ridges against his skin. "Konso." He could hear the other man doing the same thing for Lily.

Then everything dissolved in blue.

* * *

"Kami." Shunsui rubbed his wrist as he and Juushiro kept looking for plus souls to give konso.

He still couldn't believe what had just happened. The young man had moved with something like shunpo, catching his wrist in an unbreakable grip. For just a moment his spiritual pressure had flared and the young Coyote had seemed completely unaware of it. The little girl beside him had flared as well, although not as brightly. Did they realize they were still connected?

"Don't think about it Shunsui. As powerful as he might be, he's only a plus soul now." Juushiro seemed to be taking this very calmly. Shunsui frowned at him, wondering why he couldn't see the strangeness.

"Why did it take so long for them to be reborn? And why didn't they go to Soul Society?" That seemed strange to him. There was a pause before Juushiro spoke.

"I have a theory. None of the Espada have been seen in Soul Society in any recognizable way." He said and Shunsui nodded. That was true. "Perhaps becoming an arrancar made it impossible for them to be purified directly. The soul collections might need to go to Hell to be rendered, the innocent souls returned to the cycle." That was what Hell was for. Truly evil souls were rendered into nothing but energy, to be reconstituted into new, pure souls. However, unpurified soul collections were full of innocent souls. With those, Hell rendered them out, returning the innocent souls more quickly and keeping the tainted ones for full rendering. "Is it any surprise that they would be reborn in the Living World?" That was usually what happened, when a soul left Hell.

"No, I suppose not." Shunsui said slowly, remembering the Espada who had spared his life. He had certainly not been an evil man. "I wonder if we'll see them again?" It seemed likely to him. Juushiro smiled, glancing back.

"I'm sure we will." It was quite likely that the two plus souls would explode in spiritual power once they entered Soul Society. And if they came to the gate, they would be let in. He and Shunsui would see to that.

They would make fine shinigami someday.


	53. Sacrifice

_I don't want to do this._

Starrk looked at the gates in front of him, his eyes misty with tears. Then he glanced down at the girl holding his hand. Lilinette was looking around alertly, worried but also very excited. This was the first time she had seen the Seireitei, even from the outside.

Starrk just looked at her for a moment, marvelling at what she was becoming. His Lilinette was growing up. She would never be tall but she'd gained height and was starting to fill out. The clothes she were wearing were all too short, exposing her ankles and wrists. She looked healthy and well fed, the picture of a content child.

That was a direct contrast to himself. Starrk knew he looked gaunt and tired, far too thin for his lanky frame. Lilinette didn't know because he'd carefully kept it from her, but he sacrificed ruthlessly to keep her fed. She ate like a young horse but he knew she needed every bit of it, if she was to grow and thrive.

"Starrk? I don't know…" She tugged on his hand and he stopped, looking down at her.

"You will be fine." He said gently. The shinigami were looking for recruits and having a fair outside the gates. Starrk was concealing his spiritual pressure ruthlessly. "Remember what we discussed." He'd had to be very firm with her and wasn't certain he'd really gotten through.

"I don't know why I can't tell them about you!" No, he hadn't. Starrk sighed to himself. It was so hard because Lilinette didn't remember. He was the only one cursed with the memories of the thing they had been. "You're way more powerful than me! You'd make a good shinigami!" She said insistently and he bent over to hug her. She sniffled, hugging him back tightly. "I don't want to be alone." She said, her voice wobbling a bit. Starrk's arms around her tightened. He felt the exact same way. How could he not? They had been together forever. But…

"Shh. This will be better for you." He whispered in her ear. "You'll make friends. Remember me fondly, but look forward." She had so much hope in her future and this was the best place to find it. The shinigami would feed and house her, teach her to use her spiritual pressure. And unlike him, she was not particularly recognizable. Her hair had changed to a soft blonde and her eyes were blue. Likely the shade they had been before her death, it separated her very strongly from the arrancar girl she had been. "I can't come with you. Trust me, Lilinette." If he came it would be both their death sentences. Starrk had no faith in shinigami mercy. He was only doing this at all because the alternative was worse.

"Starrk…" Her arms around him tightened for a moment before she let go, reaching up to rub her face. "I trust you… I'm just scared. Come with me?" She asked and he hesitated before nodding.

"I'll help get you signed in." The odds that there was anyone here who would recognize him was nil. He could only sense basic shinigami. They might detect his power, but he doubted it. Starrk took her hand again and brought her to the tables, trying to remain inconspicuous. It was possible, if someone was very alert, that they would notice the signs of starvation on him. Only those with high reiryoku needed to eat.

As it happened, though, no one was that aware. All their attention was on Lilinette, not her guardian. Starrk handed her to the shinigami with a sense of relief. Not because he wanted her to go but because it would increase both their odds for survival. If they continued this way, sooner or later he would become very ill. Starrk sensed that he was already dangerously close to it. And when that happened, Lilinette would have no one to support her. This was much better even if it posed new dangers.

Starrk finally left the grounds, trudging back towards his little home in the Rukongai. It wasn't much, just a broken down piece of masonry that kept the wind off and shielded him a bit from rain. It would be so much colder without Lilinette there, but he comforted himself with the thought that she would be safe.

It might be hard for him, but he had done the right thing.

* * *

The next year was hard on them both in different ways.

Lilinette had to adjust to being without Starrk and it was hard for her. He'd always been the one to censor her, force her to be nice to those around her. At first, she didn't make many friends among the new recruits. But gradually, she was forced to modulate her own behavior. And she had no problem reaching out. It took time, but she was learning to make friends.

Starrk was a different matter. Despite desiring companionship he had immense difficulty reaching out. When they had been together, Lilinette had brought him out of his shell, forced him to interact. Without her, he retreated, becoming almost a hermit. He spent most of his days by the banks of the river, gazing sadly into the murky water. The rest of the time, he fished and scavenged for food.

After a while, though, he began to give up. It was nothing obvious. But less effort went into finding food. Fewer fish were caught. Starrk was surviving more and more on snails, because he had little will to catch anything else. At first he tried to find odd jobs, things to earn some money, but that also faded. Hunger became a constant but it hardly bothered him. After all, there was no one to make him care.

However, Lilinette and Starrk were still connected. They had once been a single soul and while that link was mostly severed, it wasn't entirely. Sometimes, they dreamed about each other.

"_Starrk, you look awful!"Lilinette sounded horrified and Starrk glanced over himself. "When was the last time you changed your clothes? When was the last time you had a bath?"_

"_Last week." He said, conveniently forgetting that the 'bath' had consisted of wading into the water to hunt crayfish. Lilinette looked highly skeptical. "I'm fine. What are you –" He was abruptly cut off by the furious girl._

"_You're not fine at all! Don't give me that! You look… really bad!" Starrk sighed to himself as he realized what was happening. When they had been together his condition had slipped so gradually it had seemed normal to her. Now that they were apart she could more clearly see the decline. "Have you been eating right?"_

"_Lilinette… things are hard. I'll try more." He said, hoping to head this off. "I promise." As he said the words, he meant them. But he knew that would fade as soon as he was alone again. He had very little will to live, being so completely alone. She frowned at him before switching tactics._

"_You should become a shinigami Starrk. You'd be really good! You're way more powerful than me! I could mention you to my teachers –" Lilinette started and Starrk stiffened in fear._

"_No!" Despite his passive suicide, the thought of being found by shinigami filled him with terror. The thought of meeting the one in pink… he put a hand to his chest, feeling the scar there. He'd kept it, along with their memories. As he touched the ridged tissue he remembered the excruciating pain, the sensation of choking on his own blood. And the emptiness in his mind, the lack where his other half should be. That sharpened the terror and focused on the girl in front of him. "They must not know about me. Promise me Lilinette!" The thought of dying that way again was bad but what they would do to Lilinette… he would do anything to keep her safe. Anything._

"_Starrk, why are you so scared?" Lilinette asked, shaken by the naked fear in his face. He blinked and shook his head, swallowing hard. He could almost taste the blood._

"_It… doesn't matter. But you must not tell them about me. Promise me." He demanded until she finally gave in and promised to keep him a secret. Soon after, the dream faded and they were apart again._

Starrk remembered and for a while the dream motivated him. But too much damage had already been done. Perhaps a month later he huddled in his shelter, coughing occasionally into his hand. His body burned with a fever he was too weak to fight off. Something that would have been a minor nuisance to a normal plus soul and completely ineffective on a shinigami was lethal to someone who was both powerful and badly weakened. Starrk drifted off into a delirious daze that was not quite sleep, but close. And as he did, he dreamed.

"_Starrk?" Lilinette was there again. He smile at her from where he sat on the sand. "Starrk! Are you sick?" Her hands were on him and they felt so cold on his overheated skin. "You're really sick!"_

"_I'm fine Lilinette." He said tranquilly. It was an out and out lie, of course. He was probably dying. In fact, almost certainly dying. It didn't bother him, as long as his Lilinette was safe. She stared at him in disbelief before punching him in the chest. The blow was weak and distant._

"_No you're NOT! Stop lying to me Starrk! Stop trying to hide everything from me!" To his alarm she was starting to cry. Big, huge tears dripping down her face and off her pointed chin… he reached up to try to wipe them away, his hands shaking. "I care for you as much as you care for me! You can't die Starrk! I won't let you!"_

"_Lilinette, shh. There's nothing you can do for me." He said softly, feeling a deep sorrow for her. He regretted nothing for himself, but he wished she had not dreamed of him. He wished she could have gone on in blissful ignorance of his fate. "Please, just remember me fondly. That is all I want." She could carry him in her heart and something of him would live on. She grabbed him, hugging him tightly and ignoring the wet, filthy clothing he still wore, even in the dream. She sobbed and he held her, in the barren sands of his mind…_

Starrk woke up barely remembering that dream. He made his way to the river, trying to find some food despite how terrible he felt. If he was to have any chance of survival he needed to eat. He really didn't care that much but something moved him to keep trying.

It was several hours later that Starrk managed to catch a fish. He sat with his prize, tearing it apart with his fingers and eating it raw. There was no way he could make a fire in the rain, anyway. Cold, raw fish would just have to do.

"Coyote Starrk?" The voice made him freeze and he turned his head, feeling like he'd suddenly plummeted into a nightmare. His eyes widened and he made a small, choked off whine as he saw the pink, the straw hat that was gathering rain and slowly dripping from the brim, past the grey eyes…

_No!_ Starrk's mind shrieked denial and he went for the only escape available to him… the nearby river. He dove right into it, terror giving him the energy he needed to swim. The current was strong and he heard shouts behind him, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the intense struggle to keep his head above water, trying to reach the opposite bank of the river. The current swept him further and further downstream, but that was good. If it only took him far enough…

Starrk finally managed to catch the root of a tree. He clung to the gnarled thing, struggling desperately for his life. He finally managed to grip another, then another, laboriously pulling himself to the shore. Then he climbed onto the bank, coughing, soaked and trembling with cold and sickness.

Then his gaze fell on sandaled feet. Utterly exhausted and without hope, Starrk raised his gaze. The shinigami was looking down at him with an amused yet cautious smile. His white haired friend was there too, Starrk dully noted. It seemed like overkill for one helpless plus soul. But then, they couldn't be certain of that, he supposed.

Starrk surrendered to his fate then, allowing himself to go limp with a small sigh. He rested his cheek in the wet earth, closing his eyes as he accepted death. It would be painful. Death always was. But at least it might be a bit faster than last time. That had taken what felt like forever, for his lungs and heart to finally stop working.

"Espada-san?" Starrk ignored the inquiry. What did it matter? He was dead.

"He's as sick as she said." There was a hand on his hair, feeling his forehead. "Coyote Starrk?" The white haired taichou. What was his name again? Ukitake. Yes, that was it. He slowly opened his eyes, seeing that white hair.

"…" He closed his eyes again, just waiting for the fatal blow. "I am ready." He finally said. Why were they taking so long? He'd known they were ruthless and brutal, but he really hadn't thought they would be sadistic as well. He vaguely heard the rustle of cloth, someone kneeling beside him? Another hand went through his hair, stroking away the soaked strands. If the circumstances had been otherwise he might have thought the gesture was kind. Now it just seemed like a grotesque mockery of the emotion.

"Ready for what, Espada-san?" The man in pink asked. What was his name again? Kyoraku? He wasn't sure. But again, what did it matter? He might have retained his memories as a plus soul but Starrk didn't think he would as a human infant. Or, perhaps, a soul fragment. He remembered sensing what the old, powerful one had done to Wonderweiss. Yes, perhaps that was to be his fate. Was that why they were taking so long? He wondered, dully, how much having his very soul torn apart would hurt. He suspected it would be excruciatingly painful. Short? Possibly, it hadn't taken Wonderweiss very long to shatter.

"I am ready to die." He finally said, since they seemed determined to make him say it. "Please, stop tormenting me. I did not think you were a sadist, taichou-san." The hand in his hair paused, then vanished. Starrk did not open his eyes, staying completely limp in the dirt and the rain. He could smell the earth, a pleasant scent in his nostrils. There was a rock digging into his hip but he ignored the slight discomfort.

"Why do you think we would kill you?" The white haired one asked, sounding shaken. Starrk thought that was a very stupid question. Was the answer not obvious?

"You are shinigami. You are cruel and merciless. You crush anyone and anything that dares oppose you." He murmured, hoping his words would finally move them to end his life. Why was he being played with this way? "I opposed you, I will die. Please finish it." Although that made him think of his Lilinette. Was she already dead? The pain of that thought was agonizing and he was tempted to ask, but then he discarded the thought. If they were kind, they would lie to him. He could not trust their words so why waste his breath? The thought made him sigh as he allowed the sodden ground to hold him like a mother. Why in hell was it all taking so long…?

"I think he's delirious." The one in pink sounded troubled. Starrk couldn't imagine why. "We need to get him to the Fourth." Was that where they tortured prisoners? Starrk whined softly at the thought. He'd shown them mercy once. Couldn't they give him at least the slightest bit of it in turn? Was a swift death truly asking too much?

He did try to struggle a bit, when they lifted him up. He did not want to be imprisoned and tortured. But all he energy was spent and they controlled him easily, saying soothing lies. Starrk finally slumped, his head spinning as all the exertion and his disease caught up with him. The darkness ate away his vision, despite his struggles against it.

Then he fell unconscious and knew nothing more.


	54. The Switch

Kyoraku Shunsui kept his gaze on the floor, trying desperately to hide the desire to laugh. Kenpachi wasn't doing as well. He was grinning from ear to ear, although most of the room had no idea why.

They were at the private hearing for Coyote Starrk for the crime of killing Kurotsuchi Mayuri. The scientist in question was most definitely, extremely, violently deceased. Starrk had shown him not the slightest bit of mercy and proceeded to destroy most of the Twelfth Division, as well. The casualties there had been far more restrained and had actually consisted of only one… Ikkaku. The man would recover but right now he had two broken arms.

"How can you be so cheerful about this?" Juushiro whispered in his ear and Shunsui almost lost his battle. He had to bite the inside of his lip to hide the reaction.

"There are… mitigating circumstances." He managed to say. He'd been one of the first responders, along with Ikkaku and Yumichika. He'd been instrumental in talking Starrk down from his homicidal rampage. So he knew all about those mitigating circumstances.

"Shunsui…" From the growl in Juushiro's voice, he was not taking this lightly. But then, Starrk was their lover. The relationship had come about after the Winter War and blossomed into something beautiful. Remarkable, really, considering how much they had cost the man. He was still trying to find Lilinette and that had been what Mayuri had used to lure him in. It was just too bad that he hadn't quite taken the Coyote's reiatsu into account.

Then Starrk entered the room. Shunsui heard Juushiro's breath catch in a shocked gasp. And he was far from the only one. Glancing up, he let his gaze travel over the prisoner. Starrk's arms were behind him, held tight in bulky, exceedingly powerful reiatsu restraints. They were designed to handle pressures the head captain could generate. The prisoner was wearing his shinigami uniform but it had been rather hastily tailored to deal with a new anatomy.

"What the hell are all of you staring at?!" Coyote Starrk demanded, HER voice much higher than it ever had been. A sweet contralto, Shunsui thought it was quite lovely.

Everything about Coyote Starrk was lovely. She was a tall, statuesque woman with nice hips, a well-rounded ass and breasts that were adorably perky. Shunsui admired them as he shamelessly pictured her naked. Her hair was long, too, a thick curtain of chestnut that went down the centre of her back. Grey eyes glared at him and he was absolutely certain Starrk knew precisely what he was thinking. Shunsui just smiled at her sunnily.

"Wh-what… what…" Juushiro ran out of words as Shunsui couldn't help it. He laughed. The look Starrk shot him could have removed the finish from the wall.

"What is this?" Komamura was the first one to find his words. Nemu was there, looking extremely depressed at the loss of her father. But she dutifully began her report.

"Kurotsuchi taichou was interested in the fact that arrancar are made up of souls of both genders. He was experimenting in ways to essentially 'flip' an arrancar's gender." She said and everyone paid close attention. "However, since he has been forbidden to take experimental subjects from Hueco Mundo he found it impossible to continue his research."

"So he tricked me. He pulled me in with the promise that he would find my Lilinette." Starrk growled and attention turned to him. "Then he did this to me!"

"You have not been given leave to speak." Yamamoto said sternly and Starrk's mouth shut, although he continued to glare. The usually laconic arrancar was very feisty as a woman, Shunsui noted with an amused smile. "Continue." Nemu went into some boring details of how the switch had been done, along with some of Mayuri's motives. Apparently, he'd wanted to incite Starrk to breed with him or Juushiro. The look on Juushiro's face was priceless. And Kurotsuchi had made some mind control parasites to make sure it would happen, too. There were winces around the table at that. "Coyote Starrk, you are charged with causing the death of a taichou. What do you say?" Yamamoto asked and Shunsui grinned to himself. He knew for a fact that Yama-jii was enjoying himself. He'd ordered them to keep quiet just so he could see everyone's reactions when Starrk entered the room.

"I say anyone would have done the same!" Coyote Starrk said, standing up for herself fearlessly. "You!" She pointed with her chin at Kensei. "What would you do, if someone turned you into a woman?"

"Kill them." He said, not minding admitting it. Starrk kept going with her questioning, looking at Soi Fon next.

"What would you do if someone turned you into a man?" She demanded and the taichou of the Second did not have to think twice.

"No one would find the body." She said flatly. Shunsui chuckled to himself. Starrk continued to Byakuya. His answer was quite predictable.

"Challenge the perpetrator to a duel and kill him." He said flatly. Starrk went onto Hirako Shinji next and things suddenly got a bit strange.

"I would be in my room for a solid week wanking to myself!" Shinji said with a wide grin and Starrk gave him a 'you are an idiot look'.

"Without a cock." She said and he frowned, rubbing his chin.

"That'd be a bit of a problem but… I'd figure it out! I know how to make love to a woman. Oh man, you've got to tell me what it's like!" He was suddenly extremely enthusiastic. "Tell us all! How's it different from being a man?!"

"I haven't been wanking you pervert!" Starrk exclaimed and Yamamoto cleared his throat, calling the meeting back to order.

"Is that all you have to say in your defense?" He asked and Starrk glowered before nodding sharply. "Very well. Kurotsuchi Mayuri's death will be ruled a suicide."

"Suicide?" Byakuya echoed and Yamamoto gave him a serene look. Shunsui spoke up then, his tone cheerful.

"He turned Starrk into a woman without the appropriate restraints. If that isn't committing suicide, what is?" He asked and there was a bit of laughter around the room and a sense of relaxation. It helped that no one had actually liked Mayuri in the first place. Except perhaps Nemu and she would get over it. "But what punishment will he receive for the assault on Madarame Ikkaku?" That was a more pressing concern. Kenpachi laughed, waving it away.

"Ah, it's fine. He's had worse and anyway, he totally deserved it. Everyone says so. Hey, you know what he did?" They didn't know but everyone was dying to find out. Zaraki was more than willing to tell them. "The dumbass sees her lighting up the place and the first thing he says is, 'are those real?' Then he goes like…" Zaraki mimed reaching out and squeezing two things in front of him. It was very easy to picture what Ikkaku had done to Starrk. "And shouts to everyone else, 'oh my god they are!' That's when she nailed him." He lowered his hands with a shrug. "He's lucky she didn't shoot him."

"I was too angry. I wanted him to suffer." Starrk muttered. However, there were some objections.

"Surely there must be some form of punishment for this?" Komamura asked and Yamamoto actually chuckled. Then he explained.

"She has already been most suitably punished. Urahara Kisuke has agreed to return and take up his old position, but Kurotsuchi's laboratories are in shambles. Nemu informs me that the information on his latest experiments has been lost." He said and Starrk suddenly looked horrified as she realized what the Soutaichou was getting at. "I've spoken to Kisuke and it will take him months, perhaps even years to replicate the data. From what Nemu has told me, it is not a simple thing. Kurotsuchi had been working on it since the end of the Winter War." That was three years. Starrk made an odd little whimpering sound and Shunsui decided to make it worse.

"Not to worry! I'm bisexual and Juushiro is flexible. We'll still love you just the way you are." He assured the stunned Coyote. "Just make sure to take your birth control pills or we might have a little Kyoraku Junior running around!" That thought did the arrancar in. Starrk collapsed to her knees, resting her forehead on the floor and muttering something that sounded like a prayer. Juushiro shot him in the side with an elbow before going to comfort the distraught Espada. Shunsui couldn't help but smile, but he followed a moment later, speaking soothing nothings in one ear.

Starrk would have a lot to adjust to in the near future.


	55. AU - Angel - Part 2

"Damn it." Shunsui muttered as he looked at the bills. Some of them were going to go unpaid. He'd already cut the cable so they were down to the necessities. How many months would it take before the heat and water were cut off? And could he ask his parents for a loan? Although he absolutely did not want to do that.

"I'm sorry Shunsui." Nanao was both miserable and pregnant. Shunsui smiled at her as reassuringly as he could before gently pulling her into his arms.

"It's not your fault." He whispered in her ear as she settled against his chest and softly sobbed. "Never think that." Nanao had always been the more highly paid of the two of them. She'd been a go getter, always pushing harder, trying to raise herself in the legal profession.

Yet, all she'd worked for had suddenly come to naught. The firm had been sold and she had suddenly been let go, to her shock. Shock had turned to dismay when she'd realized she was pregnant on top of it. Nanao had thought about terminating the pregnancy but Shunsui had begged her not to. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his first child that way. And he was thirty-two while Nanao was twenty-eight. Wasn't that a good time to start a family?

But they hadn't anticipated that Nanao would not be able to find a job. They hadn't expected anything good, of course. No one would offer a pregnant woman a permanent spot, when she would need to go on maternal leave almost immediately. Still, they had thought she would be able to find part time work. And she was picking up a few things but not enough. The economy was very bad right now and there were too many lawyers looking for work at the moment. Nanao was at a terrible disadvantage, with her condition becoming obvious.

"_You need to move."_ Starrk said, his tiny voice echoing from his retaining field. It was, perhaps, foolish to keep the little robot active so much. But he had useful advice and they couldn't pay the electrical bill anyway. _"Or Shunsui needs to take work in the oil fields."_ Shunsui grimaced at the thought. He did have the skills for it but that would mean being away from Nanao for months at a time. Away from Starrk, too, for that matter.

"I don't want that. And I don't want to move. The neighborhood…" Nanao said tearfully and his arms tightened around her. They had many friends here and it was a good neighborhood, a great place to raise a child. There was a soft sigh from the retaining field.

"_I know many other ways to raise money but they are all illegal or immoral."_ Starrk said it so regretfully that Nanao actually giggled and Shunsui silently blessed the little robot. He seemed to have a knack for lightening the mood. _"Shunsui?"_

"…We could borrow money from my parents." He said after a moment and Nanao made a face. His family was well-off but acted like they were in the poor house. They would hold a loan over their heads, for certain. "We could even see if they would let us move in with them." Starrk's gagging sound was over the top theatrical and they both smiled. But then, the little robot knew his family intimately. And Shunsui knew that Nanao cordially despised his mother. Fortunately, he was not a mamma's boy or she would certainly not have married him.

"I wish my family could help." Nanao said unhappily and he nodded, understanding. Her family was much nicer than his but her brother was disabled and lived at home. There was just no room or money for their daughter. "We – we might want to see if your parents can take us in." She said bravely. "Until we get back on our feet." He nodded sadly.

"At least the lease is month to month." They could get out without a penalty. Shunsui glanced at Starrk and was surprised to see a strange, arrested expression on his face. It was so odd that he spoke sharply. "Starrk? What's wrong?" Nanao glanced over, surprised. The robot blinked and hesitated a moment before speaking.

"_I have just received an e-mail from Urahara Kisuke."_ Starrk said slowly and Shunsui frowned before pulling out his cell phone and checking. Sure enough, he also had an e-mail in his inbox. _"He wants to see us both at the earliest convenience. I strongly suggest we ignore this communication."_ Starrk said firmly and Shunsui frowned at him.

"I know you have a grudge against him but what harm can it do? He probably just wants to look at you." Starrk's expression was extremely skeptical and Shunsui lifted an eyebrow at him. "What do you think he could want with us?"

"…_He has made me do illegal and immoral things."_ Starrk said bleakly and Shunsui was reminded that the man had been a spy and mercenary. _"He is both ruthless and dangerously intelligent. He may want me to do such things for him again."_

"Starrk, you're in the body of a toy." Nanao said gently and Starrk just looked at her. "How could you help him?"

"She's right." Shunsui said but Starrk shook his head. He couldn't help but frown at the little toy. He seemed to be in a state of quiet dread. "What are you afraid of?" The doll looked at him and Shunsui was struck by the worry hidden in those calm grey eyes.

"_It would be possible to transfer my neural net to a much larger container." _Starrk said after a moment and Shunsui blinked at the thought. _"It would be obscenely expensive but Kisuke deals with those to whom money is no object." _Starrk shook his head. _"And yet, we do need money. Perhaps we should meet with him. He may have more news of my Lilinette."_ The Angel said, half to himself. Shunsui nodded. Starrk had gotten his own e-mail account and access to the net all so the little toy could see the videos Kisuke sent him, of his sister.

"I'll send him a message that we can meet him on Thursday, before work." Shunsui said after a moment. He was working evenings right now. His job was handling heavy machinery for a local construction company. It did pay reasonably well… just not enough to afford their luxurious little apartment in such an expensive city.

"I'll go bother my employers about my severance pay again. I can't believe how long it's taking!" Nanao sighed and Shunsui nodded sympathetically. Perhaps it was because of the sale of the firm, but her severance was taking far too long to materialize. It wouldn't last them long but it would pay off all their current bills, when they actually got it. That would be for Nanao to deal with, though. She could certainly threaten legal action.

Having trouble finding a job or not, his Nanao was an excellent lawyer.

* * *

"I'm sure you're both wondering why I wanted to speak to you." Kisuke said with a smile. Starrk stared at him distrustfully from his retaining field as Shunsui smiled at him. He liked Urahara even if Starrk didn't. But then, Starrk's background with him was painful. "Do you remember King Barragan, Silence?" He asked the little robot who just stared at him as if he was an idiot. "Of course you do. Would it surprise you to know he's employing the remaining Espada?"

"_No."_ Starrk said, nothing more. Shunsui wasn't too surprised. The little robot had opened up a little with himself and Nanao, but he knew them extremely well. They hadn't hidden anything from what they'd thought was an AI, nothing but a fancy toy. Starrk trusted them in a way he trusted few other people, let alone someone like Kisuke. Urahara looked at the doll for a moment before smiling again.

"You are always so hard to talk to! Ah well. Shunsui, Barragan is the king of Hueco Mundo. It's a tiny kingdom but very strategically placed." Urahara's tone was businesslike now and Shunsui listened, wondering what this had to do with him. Starrk shifted, a tiny whisper of movement. "He is an absolute tyrant. Silence would know… he obeyed Aizen but that was out of fear, not loyalty. Now that Aizen is dead he rules as he wishes and he is… capricious. A treaty with him and our country has been forged but if we want him to sign it, he insists we defeat his champions in a gladiatorial contest." Shunsui blinked at the thought and glanced at Starrk. The little robot was looking very unhappy. "Not of the usual sort. Involving proxies… robots, to be precise. Like Angels but fully sized and with abilities that mimic human ones. Guns are included." Urahara smiled sunnily at Starrk, who glared back. "The two of you are an incredibly efficient pairing and Silence here knows all the methods of the Espada – "

"_What is the punishment for failure?"_ Starrk cut him off sharply and Urahara's smile wilted a little around the edges. _"What manner of death?"_ The robot demanded and Shunsui swallowed at the phrasing. The stakes here were higher than he had imagined. Kisuke's smile disappeared and he sighed, removing his hat for a moment.

"Ah, Starrk. You do know him so well… whatever death he chooses. Our last champion was flayed to death." Kisuke said quietly and Shunsui flinched. "One of the Espada was also punished, severely, for failing his bout. A neural prod, I'm told."

"_Typical."_ Starrk muttered and Shunsui took a deep breath before speaking.

"Why would I even consider doing this?" He asked flatly. "I have a child on the way." Kisuke put his hat back on before smiling at him again.

"Because you have money problems." The other man said candidly and Shunsui blinked before frowning. Had they been spying on him? "Your government is willing to pay five millions dollars if you succeed in this service." He said and Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. "And a million dollar death benefit if you fail."

"…_You are a cruel man, Urahara Kisuke."_ Starrk said after a moment and Kisuke gave him a small, sad smile.

"I do what I must for my people and my country, Silence." He said politely and Shunsui could see he truly meant it. Perhaps the greatest thing to remember about Urahara Kisuke was that he was fanatically devoted to the country. Shunsui just couldn't feel that way. It was a good place to live and he was glad to be here rather than somewhere else, but he couldn't feel as intensely about it as the other man. And his devotion to Nanao and his unborn child were far greater than anything that nebulous.

"I… have to discuss it with Nanao." That much money would assure their future. As expensive as their area was, it might cost a million dollars but they would be able to afford a beautiful home. They could invest the rest and with no rent to pay, only upkeep and taxes, he would be able to support them on his own salary. Kisuke nodded as Starrk looked away. The little robot's expression looked pinched, pained. Shunsui could easily guess why. It was hard for him to envision his own death. He didn't have much experience with mortality. Starrk had seen more death than he could imagine and he knew everyone involved. No doubt he could easily picture it.

"I understand. Please, take as long as you like." Urahara said politely and Shunsui nodded before reaching into the retaining field, gently gripping his little doll. Starrk gave him a troubled look before nodding and Shunsui lifted him out of the field. The robots eyes closed and Shunsui gently put him into his carrying case. He'd asked Starrk what it was like, being out of the retaining field and the answer was… nothing. To Starrk, no time at all passed when he was outside the field. He closed his eyes and immediately reopened them, as far as he could tell. Fortunately a transferal did not need sleep in the human sense.

Leaving the building, Shunsui felt his thoughts churning. Did he dare do this? Did he dare risk his life, for enough money to set his family forever? He wasn't sure, but one thing he definitely did know.

Nanao would have to agree with his decision.

* * *

"_I wish to state for the record that I recommended ignoring his message."_ Starrk said flatly as Nanao looked at him in puzzlement, her hand around a mug of tea. Shunsui signed, rubbing his forehead. _"I also want you to know that I do not in any way encourage any of this lunacy."_

"Thank you Starrk. Just keep throwing me under the bus." Shunsui muttered and the little toy gave him a stern look. It was close to his normal expression. Nanao was frowning now.

"What is he talking about?" Shunsui struggled with himself for a moment. Her frown deepened. "Shunsui?"

"_I will explain. If you wish?"_ Starrk asked and Shunsui hesitated before nodding. _"It is as I suspected. Urahara Kisuke wants my services and now Shunsui's as well…" _ Starrk emotionlessly detailed the situation and at first, Nanao's expression indicated that she thought it must be a joke. But Starrk's attitude was anything but joking and she finally turned a horrified look on him. He avoided her eyes, guiltily aware that he was seriously considering it. She could see that, as well.

"Shunsui?! You aren't seriously thinking about this?" She questioned and he sighed, rubbing his forehead again. "How could you?!" She punched him in the arm and he winced.

"I want to support you, Nanao. You and our child." He said and her eyes began to fill with tears. Nanao wasn't usually so emotional but she was rather hormonal, right now.

"You need to support us by being with us! You can't do that if you're dead!" She said and he swallowed at the tearful emotion on her face. "I love you!" That made his heart twist. "Our baby needs you!"

"Nanao." He said huskily, taking her in his arms and holding her as she sobbed. "Shhh. It's alright. Shhh. I won't do it." She was right. The risk wasn't worth the reward. "We'll be fine. We'll make this work." Shunsui felt a great deal of relief as he came to that decision. This felt right and Nanao was absolutely correct. His child would need him.

He completely missed Starrk watching them with an air of great sadness. The little robot was very familiar with such things and didn't think this would be the end. He reached down to stroke his guns, briefly wishing he was not so good with them.

Being the best could be a terrible liability sometimes.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, things went horribly wrong.

Shunsui's work lost a major contract and he was suddenly faced with the prospect of a possible layoff. That was bad enough but when they cautiously approached his parents with the possibility of moving home, they were met with a flat refusal. To his shock, his mother somehow had the idea that Nanao had been unfaithful and the child belonged to someone else. He had absolutely no idea how she'd gotten that idea and shielded Nanao from it, but not Starrk. The little robot was quietly furious, his eyes dark with rage at the accusation.

They'd been forced to reevaluate their priorities and now they were finding an apartment in a cheaper part of town. But if he lost his job, they wouldn't be able to afford even that.

"If I have to go to the oil fields, we could find a place close to your parents." Shunsui said comfortingly to Nanao as they looked over the vacancies section of the online ads. She sniffed, rubbing her forehead and looking extremely stressed.

"_I have received another e-mail from Urahara Kisuke."_ Starrk suddenly announced and they both looked over at him. _"We must go to see him."_ The little robot sounded oddly fatalistic. Shunsui blinked at him.

"But we're not taking his offer." Although it was getting more tempting. The toy just looked at him for a moment, his expression calm. But Shunsui was struck by the pain in his eyes.

"_I have something to say to him."_ That was all the little robot would say, even when they tried to get more from him. Shunsui finally made an appointment to talk to the man. Really, what could it hurt?

It turned out that it could hurt quite a bit, but the pain was coming anyway. Shunsui would never, in his worst nightmares, have imagined what was going to happen. Starrk, on the other hand, knew all too well.

"Well, Shunsui! Have you reconsidered my offer?" Kisuke asked with a smile and Shunsui hesitated a moment before shaking his head.

"No. My family needs me." Nanao steadfastly rejected the thought of him risking his life this way and he was not going to do it without her approval. Urahara looked at him thoughtfully.

"The offer has doubled. It will be ten million, with a two million death benefit." He said and Shunsui swallowed. That… was a lot of money. Enough that he might even be able to retire young and live on his investments. For a moment, the thought of it captured his imagination. No more worries about money… but then he resolutely set it aside. He needed to be there for his child.

"I'm sorry. I can't – " He started but then Starrk interrupted. His partner sounded bitter and angry.

"_We will do what you want. We have no choice." _Starrk stared at the little toy as he spat out the words. _"This is the carrot and we've already seen the stick. Did you buy Nanao's law firm just to have her fired? Did you make sure that Shunsui's place of work would lose that government contract? I checked, I know it was governmental. Did you have an actress befriend his mother and whisper sweet lies about Nanao? What else will you do to us, if we continue you to say no?"_

"Starrk!" That was utterly insane. "That's paranoid nonsense. Apologize to him!" He knew they had a history but he couldn't believe… Kisuke laughed. It was a sad sound and Shunsui looked at him, embarrassed on Starrk's behalf.

"Oh, Shunsui. While I enjoy seeing you defend me, I have already decided to put my cards on the table." He tilted his hat back with a smile that was both amused and slightly regretful. "Coyote Starrk is completely correct in his accusations." He said and Shunsui stared at him in blank shock for a moment. Starrk was... correct?

"That is… you can't…" Shunsui reeled at the revelation. Urahara had been behind all of this? Unravelling their lives around them? "How dare you! We'll sue you!" There was a laugh from the retaining field and he looked at the robot as Starrk spoke.

"_Sue him for what? A private shell corporation buying a law firm and letting go of a junior partner? Speaking to a high level government employee to have a particular contract pulled? Spreading rumors? None of this is actionable. It is immoral and disgusting, but not a matter for the law." _Starrk sounded terribly bitter and knowing. _"His back is to the wall and now he is putting ours to the wall as well. Tell me, have you lost more champions since we refused?"_

"Yes, two more." Kisuke said, looking tired now. "You're very right, Silence. My back is to the wall. Now, will you take my offer? I don't enjoy making you miserable but I will if I must." He said and Shunsui swallowed hard, feeling a rage like nothing he'd ever felt in his life.

"I will not forget this." He said harshly and Starrk suddenly spoke, his voice ringing with panic.

"_Shunsui, no! You cannot… he is too dangerous! Do not say such things!"_ The toy urged him and his fear was a bucket of cold water on Shunsui's rage. Kisuke laughed, although it wasn't a happy sound.

"Oh, Silence! I'm not Aizen, you know. And Shunsui isn't you. He's not the kind of man to come after me with guns or a car bomb." He spoke to the little robot, who stared at him doubtfully. "I doubt he would ever do anything illegal, particularly with a child on the way. Hmm?" Kisuke looked at him and Shunsui grit his teeth. He had to admit, if only to himself, that the other man was right. "You can hate me if you want. In fact, I would expect nothing less. But I need your cooperation and I'm going to have it." The determination in those grey eyes… Shunsui had no doubt that the other man meant it. He swallowed and squared his shoulders before responding.

"I have to talk to Nanao." Although he knew what her eventual response would be. It made his mind reel, how badly he had misjudged Urahara Kisuke. But he'd never, in all his life, imagined that someone would behave so ruthlessly. But Starrk had warned him. And he'd thought the robot was being paranoid.

Shunsui didn't know what was going to happen now but he knew one thing. He would not ignore Starrk's opinions a second time.


	56. What is Beauty - Part 3

_It was a beautiful day._

_The sun was bright overhead in the sky of brilliant blue. It was gorgeous, the purest color he could remember seeing. The landscape around him was verdant, full of summer growth. Wild forests, they were still pristine, untouched by human hands._

_He was hunting hollows on his family estates. The creatures had been spotted by the family armsmen. They patrolled these woods and could use shunpo, but did not possess zanpakuto. The swords that could cleanse hollow souls were a noble privilege. Often, he wished that was not so. It meant far more work for him, work that could not be farmed out. And he trusted his retainers. Why could he not give them swords?_

"_Can't be a lazy bastard." He muttered to himself, knowing his noble father would be grossly offended to hear that word pass his lips. "Heh." It amused him because he happened to know that his 'father' was not actually his sire. No, that had been one of his mother's trusted bodyguards. His father was ignorant of his mother's infidelity, thankfully._

_Cheered by the thought… he didn't much admire his 'father'… he continued his search. Soon he was slashing through several hollows. They were no challenge at all for one of his strength. He was immensely powerful, thanks to his mother. She was also not allowed a zanpakuto due to being a woman, but her strength had been known to crush those who annoyed her. He'd inherited all of her reiatsu._

_He was about to destroy a small canine hollow when a crushing pain hit him. He gasped, bending over and gripping his chest._

"_Not now!" He choked out. He knew this pain. It was an illness he'd been born with, a weakness in his heart. As a child he'd sometimes had frightening fits where he'd gone blue in the face. The healers could not touch it, nor give his parents any real idea of how long he would live. He'd survived a long time with it, managing to have two children of his own. But now… "No!" His youngest was only five. His knees buckled and he choked, unable to breath. The little dog hollow stared at him as he collapsed, eyes comically wide. If he could have, he would have laughed. It looked so terribly surprised and doubting, as if it thought this might all be a trick and he would stand up again to purify it…_

_But he would not. This time it was bad, very bad. He shuddered as he felt his heart stutter and die, the organ failing to beat. Darkness chased over his vision as the dog hollow sniffed him then whined, his… her?... ears back, body language uncertain and afraid. If he could have, he might have reached out to scratch those ears. He'd always liked dogs…_

_He was already dead when the dog hollow took the first bite. But his soul had no time to flee, and joined the fledgling soul collection. Such a powerful soul, he would be the seed of what would become the most terrible and wonderful thing Hueco Mundo had ever seen…_

* * *

Starrk blinked as he came to wakefulness.

"Mmm… that dream." Sighing, he pushed himself off his cushion and staggered for a moment. "Ugh." He never came to full wakefulness that quickly… well, unless there was a Lilinette stomping on his belly. Flinching slightly at the thought, Starrk pushed aside the gauzy curtains and stepped onto the balcony. The seasons were changing. There was the faintest chill in the air, a few signs of autumn.

Starrk thought about Shunsui with a small, gentle smile. He usually allowed the other man to invite him, rather than just showing up at the Thirteenth. Shunsui had duties, plenty of things he needed to do. Starrk could never be sure when he was free.

"I wonder what he would think of that dream." He mused to himself. Tosen had thought it was disgusting, that any hollow would think he had once been a shinigami. Gin had just told him he sounded boring. Aizen had smiled and asked him if the little canine hollow had been Lilinette. Starrk thought she probably had been although he couldn't prove it and would never know for sure. "Perhaps I will tell him." He didn't think Shunsui would think it was disgusting. He wasn't sure how the man would react, but not that.

As if the thought had summoned it, a hell butterfly fluttered up and landed on the railing of the balcony. Starrk smiled as he touched it, asking it for the message it contained.

_Starrk! I have a bit of time off today. I thought I would have a family obligation but it fell through. If you're interested, could you send this back? We can meet at the Thirteenth._ Starrk smiled at the message and quickly murmured his acceptance before jumping off the balcony. He enjoyed doing that, although Aizen-kami had already chided him for it. He landed neatly in the gardens and took off at a run.

Perhaps it was a bit impulsive, though. The clothing he was wearing was the same as what he'd fallen asleep in, a yukata and hakama of white with delicate gold embroidery. Serviceable as daytime wear but it did not hide his arrancar nature. Today, though, he just didn't care. Starrk wasn't sure why but it seemed unimportant. They all knew who he was, anyway. Who did he think he was fooling?

He breezed through the city, only dropping out of sonido when he reached the Thirteenth. Shunsui wasn't there yet but Juushiro was in and invited him to have something to drink. There were shadows under his eyes and the man looked sick. Starrk was immediately concerned.

"Are you well?" He asked and Juushiro just gave him a small, sad smile.

"I'm fine, Starrk-san. Things are just a bit unsettled." That was a rather transparent lie, even to him. Starrk chewed on his lip before deciding to let it go. He probably didn't want to know. Working under Aizen could not possibly be pleasant.

"Aizen-kami likes to entertain himself." He said instead and saw Juushiro wince, faintly. "…What is this? It's not tea." He said after taking a sip. It was surprisingly sweet and heavy. "It's delicious." He had a sweet tooth.

"It's amazaki. A fermented rice drink. I thought you might like it." Juushiro said and Starrk smiled appreciatively as he sipped.

"I love it, thank you." Starrk was willing to bet that Shunsui had mentioned his love of sweets to Juushiro. The man across from him looked into his tea for a moment before speaking.

"I was wondering if you might be able to do me a favor, Starrk-san?" He asked and Starrk just looked at him, surprised. A favor? Juushiro gave him a small, deeply troubled smile. "If you can't I understand. But the two taichou who chose not to serve… could you check on them for me? I would like to know that they are well." He asked and Starrk hesitated. He could see why Juushiro would not want to go himself. He might have been forbidden and if he hadn't, well, the appearance of collaborating with those hostile to Aizen would not be wise. Starrk was above suspicion, of that at least. Aizen knew him quite well and understood how his mind worked. He might play a game with his Espada but would never take seriously the thought of treason. Starrk bit his lip lightly as he thought of it. Aizen-kami knew the fearful reverence the Primera Espada held him in.

"I… suppose I might. But I don't know where this place is." And that was something he did not want to ask Aizen. He would at least try to do this quietly although word would probably get back. Juushiro smiled at him, his expression lightening a bit now that Starrk had agreed.

"I can give you an escort." Juushiro assured him and Starrk smiled appreciatively. "How has life been treating you at the palace?" The white haired taichou asked and Starrk brightened at the thought.

"Very good. Aizen-kami is treating me very well." He said sincerely. "He summons the healing taichou for me all the time." It warmed him, that Aizen would think of his comfort that way. Juushiro blinked slowly, looking taken aback. Starrk wasn't sure why.

Then Shunsui arrived and any thought of that left his mind. Particularly when he saw what his lover was wearing.

"You look amazing." Starrk was a bit stunned by how magnificent Shunsui looked. He was wearing a dark blue kimono with a dragon pattern in black and silver. His hair was in its usual style but the straw hat was absent. He sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.

"I miss my hat." He said it so mournfully that Starrk blinked and Juushiro chuckled. "Awful, not to have it during a clan meeting. But they kicked me out! I'm overjoyed."

"How did that happen?" Starrk asked, unable to suppress his curiosity. Shunsui steered him out of Juushiro's office to an unoccupied room. Soon they were sipping tea as his friend regaled him with the story of how he'd carefully riled up his clan members, turning the meeting into absolute chaos. Fortunately or unfortunately, his grandmother was onto his tricks and had pinpointed his gentle, reasonable remarks as the problem. That had gotten him the boot from the meeting. "I know that sort of thing. Szayel used to do it." Aizen's method of dealing with it, though, had not been as gentle as Shunsui's grandmother's. The very pleasant inquiry as to whether or not the Octava would like to keep his tongue had definitely shut him up. "I mostly remember because Grimmjow belted me in the head." He'd been trying to reach Nnoitra at the time and Starrk had just been in the way. He'd requested a new seat after that. Shunsui chuckled although something flickered across his face, too fast for Starrk to even begin to parse it.

"Well, since I'm so pretty today, I was wondering if you might like to go dancing." Shunsui said and Starrk smiled at the words. Pretty… he hadn't met many men in his life who would describe themselves that way. He thought it was a sign of Shunsui's self-confidence and found it enchanting.

"I've never danced before." It sounded like something he would be good at, though, if he just watched for a while. "I would love to." It sounded like a wonderful idea. "Where would we go?" He had no idea. Shunsui smiled at him and not for the first time, Starrk found himself captivated.

"We have to wait a bit but I know some clubs…" Starrk wondered what that meant. He knew what club meant, of course, but the context suggested that Shunsui did not mean a blunt force weapon. Should he ask? No, he could wait. He didn't want to look any stupider than he already did.

They played shogi for a while before visiting those clubs Shunsui had mentioned. Starrk was fascinated to find that a 'club' was a form of bar, with a dance floor and music. Why was it called a club? It didn't seem to make much sense so he asked.

"You know, I have no idea. Because the bouncers carry clubs?" He suggested as he gestured. Starrk followed the movement and saw a man who did in fact have a club in his belt.

"Oh. I suppose that would make sense." He allowed, letting his eyes drift over the dance floor. None of it looked remotely challenging and Starrk just soaked in the movements for a moment. Yes, this would be easy. "Did you want to dance?" He was ready to try. Shunsui chuckled softly.

"Of course!" Starrk smiled as the other man took his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. Several people gave him second looks as they spotted his hole and bone fragments, but he did not care. He surrendered his body to the music and the dance, letting his movements follow Shunsui's. The song being played was slow and encouraged close dancing, which suited Starrk perfectly. The feel of Shunsui's body, so close… "Kami. I thought you said you'd never danced before?"

"I learn things very quickly by watching." If he could learn them at all, at least. He'd watched Aizen managing the Espada for months, and now he sometimes saw him with the taichou, but Starrk had absolutely no clue how he did what he did. He was fearful and paranoid enough to recognize the manipulations but to actually do such a thing himself? Starrk knew it would always be beyond his abilities. "This is the kind of thing I'm good at." It was all a matter of timing and knowing how to move. That was his area of expertise. Shunsui smiled, but there was something pensive about it.

"Like fighting?" He asked and Starrk's motion stuttered for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"That's a bit different." He said softly. "I remembered that." A sword had felt familiar in his hand, from the first moment he had touched it. The thought pained him but he knew it was true.

"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked and Starrk shivered slightly at the feel of his breath in his ear, his body so close.

"I… could we talk about it later?" He was having such a good time. He did not want to ruin this moment. And seeing Kyoraku look at him in disbelief or worse yet, disgust… that would ruin things. Shunsui just looked at him curiously for a moment before smiling.

"If you want, Starrk." The way Shunsui said his name… it was so intimate. Starrk shivered again before concentrating on the dancing. It really was quite wonderful…

Eventually they fetched up at the bar and ordered some drinks. The bartender stared at his hole and mask fragments but said nothing, just fetching them their alcohol. Starrk sipped his drink carefully, deeply enjoying the sweet flavor. Sweet was rapidly becoming his favorite thing.

"I think I was a shinigami, before I died." He said after a moment and saw Shunsui's eyes widen a touch. "I remember…" He explained the circumstances and what little he knew about the man. Shunsui's expression was thoughtful as he sipped his drink. "I don't know if the memories are real though. Tosen thought I was lying." That made Shunsui blink.

"I'm certain you're not lying. You've dated yourself quite well." He said and Starrk gave him a confused look. "What you said about retainers not being allowed zanpakuto. It must have been before Yamamoto's reforms. So over a thousand years ago."

"Oh." Had he included that little piece of information with Tosen? Perhaps not. He hadn't thought it was anything important. "I assumed it was still like that." How would he know any differently? Shunsui chuckled, his voice warm with amusement. Starrk couldn't quite appreciate it, though. "I wish I could remember more. I think I might be more… adult." That didn't seem like quite the right word though. Shunsui smiled at him, shaking his head slightly.

"You seem very adult to me, Starrk. If a bit innocent." He said and Starrk smiled back, a touch sadly.

"Perhaps that's the wrong way to put it. I think maybe I would be less… malleable." Then he sighed, looking into his drink. "But perhaps I should not wish that on myself. After all, it would do me no good." He would still be entirely outmatched in any real game with Aizen. Shogi did not count. He brought the glass to his lips and finished the drink with one long swallow.

"No, I suppose not." Shunsui also sounded quietly depressed now. Starrk almost regretted saying it… but not when the other man suddenly smiled and a warm arm went around his waist. He reacted without thought, molding himself to Shunsui's body. The heat of the other man made him want more and Starrk took the initiative, kissing his lover deeply. He would not have dared do that with Aizen but Shunsui was not kami. "Ah, Starrk." That warm voice murmured in his ear and Starrk shivered at the feel of breath against his skin. "Why don't we take this to my quarters?"

"Please." He'd had fun dancing but he wanted to do a different kind of physical activity now. They left the club together, arm in arm, and Starrk thought nothing of it.

After all, Aizen knew already.

* * *

"You must be an expert with hand to hand combat to enter the Maggot's Nest." The man at the gate said to him. Starrk regarded him in bewilderment.

"Why?" He asked and there was a pause as the shinigami stared at him. Then the man blinked and shook his head before explaining.

"No shinigami is allowed to bring a zanpakuto into this area. The seki-seki stone prevents the use of sonido and kido. You will be limited to nothing but your body." Starrk had been reaching up to run a hand through his hair but then he stopped, arrested.

"It can make me _weak?_" He could hardly believe it. Surely it couldn't be this easy? The shinigami guard looked taken aback at his expression of hope.

"…Yes, but you would have to live inside." He said after a moment and to Starrk that hardly seemed like a problem. After all, he'd spent most of his life staring at sand. Starrk stared at the door thoughtfully.

"I wonder if Aizen would let me stay here?" He asked and the man made a choking sound. "Although… the prisoners aren't isolated, are they?" Being chained up in a room would be close to his idea of hell. Being weak yet still alone… he would never, ever want that.

"Only the most dangerous ones. Almost all of them are allowed to wander freely." The man assured him and Starrk smiled at the thought. That sounded close to heaven. Even now, he had to fight so hard to keep his reiatsu in check. "But are you a hand to hand expert?"

"Um… yes, I believe so." He said after a pause. That was something he remembered. His shinigami soul had been very good. The guard questioned him no further – his job was done – and let him inside.

As Starrk walked in, though, he was immediately disappointed. The thick seki stone muffled his power but did not fully repress it. He could probably use a sonido although it would be difficult. He could even wave out his power and possibly shatter the stone. How was a prisoner of his strength kept? Starrk was willing to bet it was in complete isolation, with additional restraints. The thought made him shudder slightly.

The prisoners in the Maggot's Nest gave him a lot of attention. Some were very hostile but plenty of them were not. Starrk was willing to bet the angry ones had been imprisoned since Aizen had taken over and the rest, before.

Starrk knew who he was looking for, though, and they were not hard to find. In fact, they found him… soon he was facing a glaring, white haired boy and the man with a wolf's head. Starrk vaguely wondered how that had happened. What was he, exactly? He had no idea.

"What are you doing here, arrancar?" The boy asked in a hostile tone as the wolf man folded his arms, his body language unwelcoming. Starrk smiled at them although he was sure it would cut no ice.

"Ukitake taichou asked me to check on you." He said honestly and detected some disbelief in the younger one. But… "He, um, gave me this for you?" He offered a bag with a faintly bewildered air. "You like sweets?" He'd seen Juushiro packing up the 'care package' and it was absolutely full of sweets. The white haired boy stared at him blankly for a moment before taking the bag and opening it.

"Oh kami. He did send you." He almost groaned as he pulled out a box of some kind of sweet cake. The box had a smiling cat on it. "But why is an Espada running errands for a taichou?" Starrk shoved his hands in his pockets before shrugging.

"It's not like I have any duties." He pointed out. "And I like him." Ukitake taichou was very friendly and Starrk was willing to take any friendship he could get. The boy gave him a searching look before nodding. "Forgive me… I know you are Hitsugaya and Komamura. But I'm not sure who is who?" A bit embarrassing. The boy introduced himself as Hitsugaya Toshiro and the man as Komamura Sajin. "How have you been doing here?" They both seemed to be unhurt. The two of them exchanged a glance.

"It is very, very boring. Perhaps instead of sweets you could ask Juushiro to send us some books?" Sajin said. "We already have a shogi board, some of the other prisoners make them. But books would be welcome."

"And we could share them. Speaking of which…" Toshiro glanced around. Several other prisoners were hovering, sensing the bounty of sweets. "Lollipop?" He offered one man and soon the treats were being passed around. Starrk smiled as he watched. This did seem nice. That the bleak surroundings would be depressing never occurred to him. He was used to huge vistas of bleakness.

"How have things been out there?" Komamura asked, sounding deeply concerned. Starrk hesitated before shaking his head.

"I… try not to pay too much attention." He said sadly. "Since there is nothing I can do." He would just be tormenting himself. "Juushiro seems unhappy, often. Shunsui is very sad sometimes. I… think it is difficult." And that made him quietly depressed. He remembered Tosen, the dreams he'd had for Soul Society. Was what was happening now what he would have envisioned? Starrk strongly suspected it was not.

"Ah. I suppose there is nothing we can do either. But they are all still alive?" That, at least, Starrk was able to confirm. None of the surviving taichou had been executed or even much harmed, yet. He was sure it would come in time though and from the look on Toshiro's face, he thought so too.

Soon after that, it was time for him to leave. Starrk didn't have duties but he knew he really should get back to the Palace early so he could freshen up. Aizen was expecting him for a formal dinner with one of the noble clans. Then, afterwards, he would please his god. It was his privilege to do so.

At least, that was what Starrk kept telling himself.

* * *

Shunsui kept his gaze hidden beneath the brim of his hat. It helped to conceal the powerful desire to kill he felt when he set eyes on their lord and master. Even if he'd had his full powers, his hatred would have been impotent. He was intelligent enough to be a danger to Aizen, true… but that meant he was intelligent enough not to try. Failure was nearly certain and punishment would go towards his Division and family. Even if he'd had his full reiatsu it wouldn't have been worth the risk.

He had to remind himself of that as Aizen toured the Division and spoke with Ukitake. Starrk was with them as well, trailing behind his master like a well-trained hound. And that was exactly the right word for it, Shunsui reflected grimly. Starrk's attention never strayed from Aizen and he gave the impression that he was ready to jump at the slightest cue from his god. Kyoraku wondered, with a slightly sick feeling, what Aizen had done to man to gain that level of obedience.

Everyone knew that Unohana visited the palace regularly and she was going there for Starrk. No one knew precisely why but the speculations were lurid. The most distressing thing about it, though, was Starrk's feelings on the matter. Shunsui had cautiously asked him about it once and the arrancar had said, with a smile, that he was very happy Soul Society had a healer powerful enough to see him. And he was grateful to Aizen for thinking of him. He sounded so _sincere_ when he said that! It was horrifying.

Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment before forcing on a smile as Aizen stopped to look over his paperwork.

"Ah, Kyoraku! I thought you would be as bad at this as Matsumoto was." He said with a smile and Shunsui hid a wince. Rangiku was deceased, killed after Gin's betrayal of the tyrant. "But you seem to be keeping up. What's your secret?"

"Ah, just that Juushiro is counting on me to get my work done." He said easily. He was a good actor, thankfully. "It's easier to slack when the only one who takes the blame is me!" Aizen's smile widened just a touch.

"Indeed. The need to help others is a powerful motivation. Is it not, Starrk?" Aizen's hand went out to stroke his Espada's cheek. Starrk flinched a little before obediently nuzzling his hand. Shunsui's stomach clenched a little at the sight.

"Yes, Aizen-kami." Starrk said but his tone sounded a touch unsteady to the watching fukutaichou. Aizen smiled at his pet again before glancing at him, amused.

"You see, Kyoraku, Starrk wanted so badly to help Halibel after I finished with him on the rooftop." He said casually and Shunsui desperately didn't want to know what that meant. Although he could make a very good guess. "But she needed to prove herself to me. If she could not, she deserved to die. Is that not so, Starrk?"

"Of course. We all must prove ourselves to you." Starrk's reply was smooth this time, as he devoted his full attention and obedience to the other man. Aizen chuckled before gently kissing Starrk's temple. When he pulled away, blood trickled down, sliding over the curve of the Espada's face. Starrk did not show the slightest reaction to the pain, just looking at his master adoringly. Shunsui felt ill just watching it.

"My beautiful Starrk. But we do have things to do." Aizen murmured before letting go of his toy. "Coming, Ukitake?" He said and Juushiro followed behind him, pale and silent. Their eyes met for a moment before his friend followed their master. Shunsui looked at his well-organized desk before finding the hardest, most difficult piece of work he had to do.

Anything to take his mind off the things he could not change.


	57. The Nest of Maggots

Starrk woke up to the feel of cold stone, chilling him through his light clothing.

Blinking groggily, he raised his head. Acting on instinct he tried to use his pesquina, but failed completely. He could sense absolutely nothing, could not access his powers at all. The Espada frowned, then stiffened as he remembered his defeat at the taichou's hands.

"Lilinette?" He spoke her name but heard nothing. Felt nothing. "Lilinette…" The pain of that loss made his eyes water. He reached up to rub them and realized his gloves were gone. In fact, all his clothing had been changed. Sitting up, he examined himself.

He was wearing clothing of black. It vaguely resembled a shinigami uniform, but it seemed plainer, somehow. There were very thick bands of seki stone on his wrists and matching ones on his ankles, along with some kind of belt. He tugged on it and winced faintly as he felt a bit of pain. Clearly, it was not meant to come off.

Starrk blinked as he realized he was unable to sense his own reiatsu. His power was not just lowered, or even partly blocked… it was like it wasn't even there. He might have had as much spiritual pressure as the lowliest of plus souls. Pushing himself to his feet, Starrk went to the door. He was prepared to find that it was locked, but it wasn't. No, it swung open easily, revealing a corridor.

He walked through the dark stone walls, glancing around thoughtfully. The chill was deep and ever present. If his hierro had been active that wouldn't have mattered, but even that was not working. The place was lit by small oil lamps, which did not generate much illumination. However, there was a courtyard. Starrk stepped out into it and smiled as he glanced up at the sky. This was a nicer place than the inner walls.

Apparently, he was not the only one to think so. There were plenty of shinigami there, wandering about and talking to each other. Some were playing games. A larger group was dicing and one man was sitting in front of what looked like a handmade shogi board, appearing to meditate. Immediately, several of the shinigami – were they really shinigami though? – gave him their attention.

"So you're the new meat. What are you, anyway?" One stranger demanded, frowning at his hole and mask fragments. They were clearly displayed by his robes. Starrk paused before shrugging.

"An arrancar." He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was in danger. If all of these strangers decided to kill him, he would have a very difficult time fighting them off. He had a suspicion that none of them had any more spiritual power than he did, but if they swarmed him he would die.

"What's that?" Another one wondered and Starrk blinked.

"A kind of hollow that has removed his or her own mask." He supplied after a moment. "Although many of us were created by Aizen and the hogyoku." He wasn't one of those. He'd been an arrancar long before the traitor had gone to Hueco Mundo. That got some serious interest from his audience.

"Aizen Sosuke? Look, can you tell us what's been going on from the beginning? The last new meat we had in here was ten years ago." One of them said and Starrk blinked at that. But he had a few questions of his own.

"Before we go into that, where am I?" He had absolutely no idea. The talkative one frowned but responded.

"The Nest of Maggots. It's where they put shinigami who are 'dangers to Soul Society'." The man spat and Starrk blinked. "We've all either failed their assessments or had some other kind of issue. There's no trials. Just toss us away and then throw out the key."

"Oh." That explained why he was here. It seemed a strange thing for the shinigami to do, though. Why hadn't they just purified him? Putting that thought away for later, Starrk attempted to explain. He started with what he knew of the invasion of Soul Society by the fighters of Karakura town, which wasn't much. Then he explained Aizen's actions in Hueco Mundo and everything that had led up to the Winter War. That, he knew fairly well.

"You fought Kyoraku taichou? And you're alive?" One of the strangers said, sounding awed. Starrk shrugged slightly, reaching up to touch his chest. He could feel the scar there. Someone had healed him but the marks remained.

"Not intentionally. I'm very durable." He'd been practically cut in half and his body had still managed to repair it. "You see the things they've put on me." He held out a hand and there were a few murmurs as the men took in the fullness of his restraints.

"Impressive. That means the seki stone would not be enough to contain you." A very old man said. He was so old he appeared wizened. Starrk realized that he had been the one sitting in front of the shogi board. "Well, this is all very interesting but there is nothing we can do about it. Would you like to play shogi?" He sounded hopeful and there was some laughter from the others as Starrk readily consented.

"Another for your trap." The first man he'd been speaking to said derisively. Starrk wondered what that meant. "What is your name, arrancar? I'm Nagano Shizu."

"I am Coyote Starrk." He said as the old man led him to the shogi board. The wizened man soon introduced himself as Kyoraku Nakaru, to Starrk's surprise. "You are related to…?"

"Hmm, yes, he is my nephew." The oldster said as he made his first move. "Nobles can end up here if we fail too spectacularly. Honesty moves me to admit that I am a terrible and dangerous man. They were right to put me here." He said cheerfully and Starrk blinked. "I did amazing things… but alas! I failed on the last step. My own nephew had a great deal to do with it. Ah, well. I'm not bitter anymore. Such things happen, eh?"

"I… suppose." Briefly, Starrk wondered how long the man had been imprisoned. Possibly quite a long time. He took his move on the board. The old man kept chatting, no doubt thrilled by an audience that had never heard his stories.

"I used to have extra restraints, but my power has faded with age. That seems to be a Kyoraku thing. Something for my nephew to look forward to, eh? Although it will likely take another thousand years. Would you like to hear the tale of my cut throat ways?" He asked cheerfully as he made his move. Starrk nodded.

"I would be honored." He was starting to feel very comfortable. The shinigami prisoners were more accepting of him than the Espada ever had been. Starrk carefully considered the board, plotting several moves ahead before he took his play. He was very good with shogi but he could already tell he was up against a master. Vaguely, he wondered if the man was so eager to play because the other inmates would no longer play with him. That was always the danger in being too good… or too powerful. Starrk smiled a bit to himself at the thought.

He had no power here. There was nothing to keep the others away.

* * *

Starrk had no idea how long it had been since he'd been placed in the Nest of Maggots, but his shogi partner said it had been over a year.

"With this courtyard we can at least see the seasons change, a bit." He confided and Starrk nodded. "You came in spring and we went through winter – you remember – " Starrk blushed a little as he was reminded of his own reactions. He hadn't known what snow was, at all. The other inmates had needed to coax him out into it. "And it's summer now. So yes, over a year."

"I wonder why they didn't just purify me?" He wondered as he gazed over the board. This time, he thought he might win. He won very rarely but it did happen, which was more than any of the other prisoners could claim. The man chuckled and Starrk glanced up as he took his move.

"You are a knife that has been put in the drawer. So powerful and so good natured! Not a horrible danger like me." He said cheerfully and Starrk nodded. He'd gotten to know the man quite well by now. He was harmless now, with his power so faded, but he was both intelligent and ruthless. The other inmates tried not to get on Nakaru's bad side. In a way, he reminded Starrk of taichou-san… but without any kind of morals to hold him back. He would have been terrifying when he'd been younger.

That meant, though, that Starrk had made a very fortuitous friend. A few of the inmates had cornered him and beaten him up, once. They'd been found dead not long later, their throats slit. Nakaru did not want to lose the only person who could give him a decent game of shogi.

Nakaru was not his only friend, though. Starrk smiled as he thought of it. He knew most of the inmates by name, now, and some were quite amusing. One particular fellow was nicknamed Big Mouth because, apparently, he'd had very vocal intentions to 'rule Soul Society.' Starrk wasn't entirely certain why the shinigami had put him in here. He was a bit of an idiot and his dreams were laughable. Not like Nakaru's cheerful stories of how he'd planned to completely control the noble's council and gradually extend his reach until he ruled all of Soul Society from the shadows. THAT had been a well thought out plan that had almost succeeded…

His shogi partner took his move and Starrk stared at the board, propping his chin in one hand thoughtfully. He could not afford a stupid move, the other inmate would pounce on any mistake. He was about to take his move when another inmate ran up to them.

"Starrk! There are two shinigami taichou just entered and they want you!" Starrk paused, his hand over the piece and glanced up in surprise. Nakaru sighed.

"Ah, I was afraid of that. Time to take the knife out of the drawer, eh? Well, I will go with you." He said cheerfully and Starrk rather doubted the man intended to look out for him. No, he was mostly interested in annoying the taichou in question. Something he did not in the least bit object to.

Starrk was dead right about that. One of the taichou in question was the one he'd fought and he was not in the least bit happy to see his relative.

"Uncle. I thought you would be dead by now." He said with a civil smile. Nakaru smiled back, an expression that was equally false to Starrk's eyes.

"Oh, you know me nephew! Just keep on ticking. And I'm not as old as Yama-jii yet!" He said cheerfully and Starrk saw Shunsui's eye twitch. It was the slightest thing but he didn't think he appreciated the way his uncle was speaking of Yamamoto. Perhaps because it was too familiar? He had no real idea. Then the other person with him, the woman who had helped defeat Barragan – Starrk would never say she had outright defeated him, without the Visored man she would certainly have died – spoke.

"Silence, reprobate." She ordered and Nakaru closed his mouth, looking a bit hurt. Starrk couldn't help but smile. The old man was a shameless reprobate. "Coyote Starrk, we are here to offer you a chance at rehabilitation." She began to go into the conditions of his release and all the ways he would have to prove himself but Starrk wasn't really listening.

"I refuse." He said as soon as she paused for breath. Taichou-san tilted his hat back, looking at him with surprise. "I like it here." He said bluntly and the two shinigami exchanged a confused glance.

"You like it here?" Shunsui finally said, as if it was the strangest thing in the world. Nakaru quietly tittered. They had spoken extensively so HE understood what was going through Starrk's mind. Starrk lifted his arm, gazing at the heavy restraints there. Then he looked at the pair of taichou again.

"When Aizen recruited me, he promised to make me weak enough that others could withstand my presence. He also promised me comrades if not friends." Aizen had been quite honest in his promises. A comrade was very different from a friend and he had never quite made that promise to his Espada, although it had been implied. "The Espada all feared me. They were my comrades, but never my friends." That had been a great source of pain for him. "Aizen and the others only sought to use me. Here, I am completely powerless. No one fears me or wants to use me, except perhaps for a game of shogi." He glanced at Nakaru who smiled amiably. "I have friends here. And in exchange for this, you are offering to return part of my powers, put me beneath distrustful shinigami who will no doubt see me as a monster, and require that I jump through hoops to prove myself." He summed it all up before smiling. "I decline your invitation." There was a brief silence before Shunsui began to laugh. The female taichou gave him a sharp look before glaring at Nakaru.

"Did you set him up to this?" She asked suspiciously and he just shrugged innocently. "Doesn't the environment bother you?" She asked and Starrk shook his head. He knew the shinigami inmates found it both bleak and depressing. Many eventually went mad, from the surroundings and the hopelessness. But…

"I am a hollow. Did you know that Szayel was able to determine what my age was, before I removed my mask and formed my Lilinette?" He said and Kyoraku winced a little at the reminder. "I can't remember the exact number but it was over a thousand years. And I didn't just meet Aizen directly after that. I may be older than the two of you put together and I spent it staring at sand and mountains of corpses." He paused for a moment, then smiled sadly. "This environment does not bother me in the least." He was used to vistas of bleakness. And nothing about this was depressing compared to the mountains of bones. "Unless you have a much better offer to make, you may leave." He had no interest in discussing it further.

"Ah, the prisoner is setting his own terms? I love it! Come Soi Fon. I think we need to let everyone know of his response." Shunsui said cheerfully before leading the smaller taichou out. She kept glancing back, as if she couldn't really believe it. Starrk just turned away.

He was not interested in leaving his new home.


	58. AU - Voice of the Sea

Author's Note: Just a silly idea I had... there might be a second part, I haven't decided yet.

Starrk yelped as he was lifted out of the sea.

_What in the world?!_ The powerful merfolk wiggled around, trying to figure out what was happening to him. He'd been taking a nap on the surface of the ocean, lazing about in the sun. Wait, had he ignored the vibrations of a ship…?

Yes, he most definitely had. The mer began to growl, highly annoyed with the humans who were staring at him in wide eyed shock. He began to bite at the nets. If they were going to just stare at him like idiots he would free himself by himself.

"Stop!" That commanding voice caught his attention and he stopped, staring at the man on the deck of the ship. "We'll let you out. Just don't ruin the nets, please." The man said, his voice coaxing. Starrk licked his lips before responding.

"Fine, I can wait." He was mildly uncomfortable as the net dug into his scales and skin, but it was nothing unmanageable. There were gasps and whispers as the humans realized he knew their tongue. Then the first man called out sharp commands and the others scurried to obey.

Starrk looked at the stranger thoughtfully, rather impressed by him. He had long chestnut hair and was wearing leather pants, leather boots and a jacket with an odd but beautiful insignia on the back. He had an interesting amount of body hair. Starrk found it fascinating. Merfolk tended to be hairless, except for the strands on their heads. Starrk was actually unusual in having a small beard. He nurtured it carefully, enjoying the individuality it gave him.

The nets were pulled off him and the mer caught himself before he would have fallen into the sea. Instead, he slid himself onto the desk of the ship. The men had to scramble aside as his lower body coiled aboard, for all the world like a giant snake. His lower body was actually very similar to an eel but Starrk folded his delicate fins tight to his body. That changed his method of locomotion to something similar to a naga.

"What are you humans doing here?" He asked, mildly curious. This was the middle of nowhere. The man with the grey eyes smiled at him charmingly and Starrk smiled back, enchanted.

"We're searching for a nest of pirates we believe is denning up here. Have you seen them, perhaps?" He asked easily and Starrk nodded, unsurprised. He'd already speculated with the other mer that the newcomers to their territory were likely lawbreakers.

"Yes." He said and there was a spate of whispers around him. "They've taken over the half-moon cove. We had to move our crèche grounds." That had been a minor nuisance, nothing more. "If you want, I'll show you the way. We prefer not to have humans here." They hadn't really tried anything but that was because the pirates were too alert and the cove was defensible. Otherwise, they would have sunk the ship. Starrk frowned as he thought of that. "The cove is quite defensible and there are reefs. The pirates marked them out."

"Can you show us how they marked them?" The man asked and Starrk nodded.

"That, I can do. Please, who are you?" He asked curiously and the man flashed him a smile.

"Kyoraku Shunsui. And you are?" He asked and the mer smiled back, carefully keeping his fangs hidden. His kind did not reveal their teeth when they smiled, unlike humans.

"Coyote Starrk. Let me…" He concentrated hard and made the shift. There were more gasps as his snake body vanished, two legs folding beneath him. "Unf." Starrk grunted as he struggled to rise. He managed it, wavering a bit on his feet. "Sorry. This takes me a bit to get used to." He hardly ever used legs. On the rare occasions he needed to take to the land, he usually folded his fins and slithered along like a snake. But the ship really didn't have enough room for him like that. Vaguely, he noticed that the man was looking him over with a stunned look on his face.

"Kami." He whispered and Starrk gave him a mildly confused look. Then he glanced over himself. He was completely naked, of course. His body was male, because that tended to be a better idea with humans in his experience. A naked woman was considered an invitation to sexual intercourse where a man was not, for some reason. So why was the captain staring at him in such an odd fashion? "D-Do you… would you like some clothes?" Starrk smiled at that question. He would actually prefer to remain unclothed but he could tell the humans would NOT prefer that.

"A robe would be fine. I will have to change back to help you pass the reefs, most likely." A robe would be easy to shed, unlike breeches. However, they didn't seem to have any robes on the ship. They were able to provide him with a night shift. "This will do." It would be the work of a moment to pull it off.

Soon he was at the odd wheel the humans used to steer the ship, pointing them in the correct direction. He knew when they were approaching the reefs and peered over the side, looking for the markers the pirates had left. They were subtle but easy for a mer to spot.

"More that way!" He gestured and the steersman followed his gesture. "Good. Hold the course." Starrk was familiar with directing ships. He was quite old and this was not his first time dealing with humans. Soon he abandoned the ship to get a better idea of where the reefs were. He could sense such things beneath the waves.

Eventually they got to the cove. There were shouts and cannons fired on the ship, before a blast of magical flame hit those defenses. Starrk swam away, staying out of the battle. He was not very violent to begin with and this sort of thing was beyond him.

It was very impressive. Starrk watched the explosions with wide eyes. Shunsui was casting some of the magic himself, too. Starrk really hadn't guessed he was skilled with that. It made the mer slap his fins in excitement, then wince as a flaming pirate ran into the water, screaming. War and battle were a very cruel thing. It had been so long he had nearly forgotten.

When the battle was over the pirates were soundly defeated. The few survivors were in ropes and chains, likely destined for execution or, just possibly, slavery. Starrk was uncertain if humans still practiced that. He knew it had been a bit controversial when he'd last walked among them. Soon the humans were celebrating their victory and Starrk swam to the shore, pushing himself onto the beach.

"Could I perhaps join you?" He asked diffidently. "It's been a very long time since I had alcohol." He looked longingly at the jugs of it they had found. Shunsui laughed, gesturing with one hand.

"Of course!" Soon Starrk had a mug of the brew, which was some kind of bitter grog. He coughed a bit but drank it anyway. He knew that most of the fun of drinking came from the way it made you feel, not the way it tasted.

That was certainly the case here. Starrk smiled as he lay by the fire, his coils idly curling around each other as he listened to the music. Shunsui had a beautiful voice, he noticed. And grey eyes kept going back to him. Even with the grog lighting a fire in his blood, Starrk had enough self-control to think about what might come next. He quickly decided he didn't care. It would hardly be the first time he'd bred outside of his race. The results were often interesting although there were more culls than normal, sadly.

"So tell me. Have you ever had sex with a human?" Shunsui asked him quite directly and Starrk chuckled softly at the bluntness of the question. He might have been offended but he could tell the other man was every bit as drunk as he was.

"Oh yes." The human actually looked a bit disappointed and Starrk decided to elaborate. "You see my size. My kind continue growing all our lives, although the rate slows as we mature. I am very large and very old." Really, his lower half resembled a vast serpent. Starrk had never met another mer as large as he. "Our color changes, too." He was a beautiful golden shade, dappled with warm browns and reds. That was the final color any mer could take. Shunsui looked interested, then.

"Oh, so you've associated with humans before?" He asked and Starrk nodded. The man flashed him a warm smile. "I've never had much to do with mer. Would you be interested in having sex with me?" That question made the mer smile. He actually liked that kind of question. Straight and to the point, no fencing about or dealing with human sensibilities.

"I would love to." He said sincerely before uncoiling. "Shall we find a place?" They were rather close to the fire. Shunsui laughed and nodded, standing up a touch unsteadily. They left the fire and Starrk smiled. He knew exactly how to do this.

Shunsui was a bit surprised, though, when a serpentine body suddenly coiled around him. He looked at the mer holding him with wide eyes.

"I, ah, thought we would have sex in your human form?" He asked and Starrk chuckled softly, pressing his upper body firmly against the man. Shunsui groaned and half-closed his eyes before exploring him with warm hands.

"But then you would have had sex with a man. There's nothing unusual in that." Starrk said, amused. Besides… "That is harder anyway." His male form would not create lubrication. A female one would but Shunsui clearly found him attractive in his more natural shape, which appeared masculine. It was not – mer sexes didn't work that way – but humans saw him that way. "Now…" Starrk gently shifted his lower body, reaching down to undo Shunsui's pants. He smiled as he saw the size of what was revealed.

"Ah Starrk…" Shunsui said as a warm hand encircled him. Starrk smiled before kissing him. "I don't know what to do to arouse you." The mer coiled around him had no obvious genitals. Starrk chuckled softly as the man smiled up at him.

"Believe me Shunsui, I find you arousing." His whole body was heating as the need to mate rose within him. "You are very desirable." Most of the young mer who came to mate with him were nothing like Shunsui. They were young and soft, almost feminine in appearance. That was natural – travelling and finding spawners to breed with was the second stage of a mer's life – but it made Shunsui's appearance interesting and exotic to him. "Mmm." The other man was reacting to his touch, his body aching for more attention. Starrk sifted his body with the ease of long practice, sliding his serpentine lower half until he was in exactly the right position…

"AH!" Shunsui arched with a surprised cry as he was abruptly encased in tight warmth. "Kami… what…?" He panted as Starrk groaned, his coils moving against skin as he slid his arms around Shunsui's body, locking them together in a passionate embrace.

"This is how we mate." He whispered in one ear, savoring the movements of the human in his coils. The friction within his body was delicious, inspiring. Starrk trembled, groaning softly as they moved together. It felt incredible…

The head of Shunsui's cock bumped something inside him and Starrk whimpered, his eyes glazing as the intense pleasure came over him. Very few of his mates had the length to stimulate him like that… he shuddered, sweat beading on his body as Shunsui kept prodding that place inside him. Starrk cried out, his insides undulating around the man under him as he began approaching his climax. It was not a long mating but that was fine. He was too excited to hold back.

And it seemed Shunsui felt the same way. His arms were firmly around Starrk's lower body, pressing them together even more fully as he tried to get in as deeply as he could. The slightly damp, scaly skin did not bother him a bit as he ground against the mer. Starrk shuddered as that length got even deeper into him than before. How incredibly good it felt…

The mer finally cried out, burying his face against Shunsui's neck as his inner walls squeezed down, stimulating the man in his coils. Shunsui's lust filled cry followed a moment later as his body jerked, then erupted inside him. Starrk gasped as he felt his body accepting the semen, sequestering it with all the others he had mated. His eggs would be fertilized by a mixture of different secretions, when they exited his body.

That was for a long time in the future, however. For now he just basked in the afterglow, humming softly in contentment as he gently played with Shunsui's hair. The man in his coils was almost incoherent, rapidly passing out in the aftermath of pleasure and alcohol. Starrk smiled, kissing him before settling in beside him.

This was extremely pleasant.

* * *

Over a year later.

Starrk looked at his crèche of young and felt extremely pleased.

Each mer had their own crèche, but in the same general area. They would work together to meet any threat to them all. However, within the crèche area they were all rivals. Each of them wanted the maximum number of young to survive to first mating stage.

Starrk had a great advantage in the competition to breed. As the largest and oldest, he had first pick of the younglings who swam by. That let him be choosy, taking only the largest and strongest. The first stagers wanted him so desperately because their instincts said he was an experienced spawner and his size told them he would make many good, fertile eggs. Smaller mer could not hold even a fraction of his clutch.

With direct hybrids, of course, there were many culls. Starrk had examined his eggs religiously and eaten any defective ones. He'd defended them as best he could, but predators had gotten quite a few of the remainder. Some of those had been dummy eggs, though. Those were eggs that were essentially decoys, full of a potent poison. The reason it was dangerous to raid a mer's nest, but some predators knew how to recognize the false eggs.

Now the eggs were ready to hatch and Starrk still had almost twenty young. That was very good. Most mer would be lucky to have five survive to this stage. Of course, it posed additional challenges for him. Soon he would have to defend almost twenty young fry. An exhausting prospect and Starrk knew, with a bit of sadness, that they would not all survive. There was no way he could keep so many young safe from predators and his fellow mer. Yet, he would do everything he could to keep the losses to a minimum.

Starrk watched, making soft calls as the little ones forced their way out of the soft eggs. Little arms broke through the transparent shells, tiny hands waving and fins flexing. To his distress, Starrk realized that he hadn't culled thoroughly enough. Two of the little fry were not freeing themselves well, which should have come easily to them. He called to them more, unwilling to give up on them just yet. One finally freed himself and Starrk saw that one of his fins was twisted, his body moving awkwardly. He briefly considered culling the little one but then the fry looked at him with soft grey eyes and cried for him. Starrk's heart melted at the sound and he sang to the little one, a wordless sound that made the fry swim to him. He caught the little one in his arms before regarding the other wrong one. It had not freed itself from the egg and the struggles were slackening as it suffocated. Sighing, Starrk bent over and stopped the wiggles with a single bite. A small gout of blood briefly stained the water, but only very briefly. Starrk pulled the body free of the egg and gently tossed it to the other fry. They were cannibalistic, when given the opportunity. While they would not kill other fry directly they would eat anything he gave them and they fought over it. The largest fry soon won and feasted. There was a tug on his arm fin and Starrk blinked before looking down. He smiled as he saw the tiny fry, still there and looking at him with wide grey eyes. Bending down he spat out a white substance, what he used to feed the young. The little one managed to eat a good portion of it before the others noticed and swarmed him with little creels. Starrk laughed as he began feeding the others.

Soon he would need to hunt and the little fry would need to hide. But for now, he would give them their first meal. They would need it to grow and thrive.

* * *

"You called me, grandmother?" Shunsui said with a smile, pulling off his straw hat. Now that he was home he had gone back to his usual garb. Sailors didn't wear such things but he enjoyed his pink kimono very much.

"Yes." His grandmother was regarding him very sternly. All the clan elders were there as well. Shunsui racked his mind for any reason and came up empty. Normally he at least knew why he was in trouble. "You recall the resonance test we recently ran on you?"

"Ah, yes. That." He said with less than no enthusiasm. It was meant to help determine who would make an appropriate life mate for him. Shunsui was not eager to give up his freedom to have sex with anyone he pleased, whenever he pleased. "Have you found my true resonant?" Although if they had, why were they looking at him so severely?

"No, and that would be impossible given that you have already given us an heir." His grandmother said and Shunsui stared at her blankly. "What woman have you impregnated?"

"I haven't!" He immediately protested, his mind reeling. What in hell were they accusing him of? "I haven't been with any women for the past year!" He liked women well enough but he also liked men, and given his need to stay unentangled, men were far more practical. "When was this child born?"

"There's an odd bit of uncertainty about that. Two or three years ago." One of his uncles put in and Shunsui blinked. That long?

"That's strange. Why wouldn't the woman have come for support?" He asked, more to himself than anything. If the child was born to a commoner he or she might not be eligible to be the heir but he or she would be entitled to support. And a noblewoman would be within her rights to demand an honorable marriage. No one just went their merry way when something like this happened. "That long ago… kami!" Who had he had sex with? "A few of the servant girls. But I know none of them have had children. Well, and a merman." That was meant to lighten the mood. He wasn't expecting his boring uncle to suddenly stare at him wide eyed.

"You had sex with a mer? Really?" He asked and Shunsui blinked at him, surprised. "That's the answer!"

"What?" His grandmother said before he could. "Shanzuki, what are you babbling about?" She demanded and his uncle, who was noted for his tendency to tell longwinded stories, was not loathe to explain.

"You all know I have a passion for magical creatures." They all did know, at length. Shunsui prepared himself to go to sleep with his eyes open. "First, merman is completely inaccurate. Mers all appear to be male, because they have no breasts. Oddly enough, the ones that fulfill a more male like role appear to be younger and softer in appearance. The spawners are both large and masculine in appearance." Shunsui blinked as he remembered how big Starrk had been. The mer had told him he was exceptionally large for one of his kind, in fact.

"But how can this have anything to do with the heir? Surely such things cannot breed with humans!" One of his other relatives said and Shunsui nodded. Really, it seemed absurd. His uncle laughed before explaining further.

"Oh, but they can! Legends say they are descended from the inhabitants of Atlantis." He said cheerfully and there was skepticism all through the room. "The magics that caused the isle to sink killed almost everyone, but a few absorbed the powers and became the mer. Because they're descended from humans they can most certainly breed with us. That's a documented fact. Although there are high rates of birth defects… Shunsui, how large was the mer you had sex with? And what was the color?" He asked and Shunsui swallowed before speaking.

"He was perhaps twice the length of this room." And it wasn't a small room. His uncle looked impressed. "His color was gold with brown and red dappling." His uncle looked truly shocked at that.

"My word! In my travels I never saw a mer that color, but I heard about it. He's ancient and that length… huge! They never stop growing, you know." He said cheerfully and Shunsui nodded. He was remembering now and even though he'd been half-drunk, he recalled Starrk saying that. "They spawn more eggs the bigger and older they are. Of course, there's a limit to how many they can defend. But kami! A usual sized mer will have anywhere from one to five eggs hatch. He would have at least double that, possibly triple or quadruple! Amazing!"

"Are you trying to say this mer may have created as many as twenty children with Shunsui?" His grandmother asked, holding onto her calm with admirable dignity. Shunsui was speechless at the thought. Twenty of them? What would they even look like?

"Oh, that's not at all likely." His uncle dismissed that but his reasoning was not terribly reassuring. "Mer will mate with any male that meets their standards. With his advantages, that mer would have high standards but it's very unlikely he mated just with Shunsui. I would assume that at least half his eggs belong to other mer. Possibly almost all of them… eggs made with humans do have quite a lot of defects and the mer eat them before they can hatch." He said and there was a gagging sound from someone. "But there must be at least one. Hmm, that would account for the uncertainty on the birthdate. The scrying was probably confused by the laying of the eggs and then the hatching of them."

"What are we to do about this?" One of his aunts wondered and Shunsui rubbed his forehead. That was the question.

"Such a creature cannot be the heir to the clan." His grandmother said firmly and there were nods around the table. "But we should at least see if this mer requires support – what?" His uncle was chuckling a bit.

"Nothing. It's just, mer are quite, hmm, individual when it comes to raising their fry. Other mer will sometimes attempt to eat the fry of their rivals!" He said and Shunsui swallowed, hard. He was just getting used to the fact that he apparently had half-human children. And now he was finding out they might be eaten alive? "And the younger mer never help. Did you know they essentially flip sexes after a certain number of matings?"

"I think you need to go with Shunsui to speak with this mer." His grandmother said with aplomb and Shunsui groaned to himself. Months with his uncle? Joy. "You can tell him all about it on the way." His uncle looked very, very happy with the prospect.

"Of course! I would love to." He said sincerely and Shunsui resigned himself.

This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Starrk was definitely not expecting the humans to find him again.

He absolutely wasn't expecting them to show any interest in his young. Why would they? True, they were hybrids, but so what? So when a small rowboat was led to his crèche by one of his young, he was surprised.

"Oi! Take care of them Coyote. They're scaring the other mer." Lilinette told him and he smiled at her, amused by her attitude. She had been one of his young, once upon a time. She had just made the transition to spawner and was much, much smaller than her 'mother'. Her body was colored bright blue and green, indicating her lack of age, along with her more feminine appearance. "They're interested in your fry." She looked over his spawn with envy. Starrk knew exactly why. He was down to seventeen younglings. Two had died but that was still very, very good.

"That so? I'll talk to them." He chirped to his little ones, calling them out to join him. He went to the rowboat, his clutch of offspring following him like a group of ducklings. The one with the twisted fin hung onto him, catching a ride. Starrk didn't mind although most mer would not have allowed it. Starrk knew he was pampering that little one, giving him extra attention. But he felt sorry for the tiny thing. He would never be able to compete for mating rights.

Saddened by the thought, Starrk breached the water, looking at the boat. He smiled as he saw a very familiar face.

"Shunsui!" He waved to the man and he waved back, although his smile was a bit pensive. "You've come to see your spawn?" That was unusual for mer but for humans he thought it was more normal. Shunsui choked a little at the cheerful inquiry as a strange human with spectacles bent over the edge of the boat, peering at his fry.

"My kami! How many of them are there?" He asked and Starrk answered proudly.

"Seventeen." He said and Shunsui looked a little sick. He really wondered why. This was great proof of his fertility and worth as a mate. "I think at least seven of them are yours." Warm brown hair and grey eyes were prominent in his fry. "I can't be entirely sure, though. Well, except about this one." He reached down to pluck off his clinging little fry, lifting the child up so they could see him. The tiny mer looked at the humans wide eyed before making a squeaky sound and trying to get back to his spawner. "Ah, sorry. They're very shy at this stage." He apologized before cuddling the little one in his arms. The shyness was protective and natural, considering that other mer would eat them. The fry's tail swished and the man with the glasses saw what was wrong.

"A twisted fin? Does he swim well with that?" He asked and Starrk shook his head sadly. "I'm surprised he's still alive. You're raising him to be a nest tender?"

"…Yes." He said, looking at the man in surprise. "You know a great deal about our ways." He was honestly shocked that a human would understand his intentions so readily. Nest tenders were young mer, often deliberately crippled by their spawner in some way and forced to remain on the nest forever. An effective tactic but very cruel, since the young mer was permanently trapped in the 'male' stage of reproduction yet could not mate. That made Starrk's eyes dim as he looked at his young. The little one was cuddled against him so trustingly. "I don't want that for him but it's all he has." This child could never survive on his own. Starrk knew that. "You just came here to see them?" That seemed odd to him. Shunsui spoke then, leaning down to look at the fry.

"We wanted to know if you needed any help. I honestly didn't know we could breed." He said and Starrk smiled a little. If he hadn't been so drunk, perhaps he would have pointed it out. Or perhaps not, looking after fry was on the spawners after all. Although… Starrk suddenly stiffened as a thought came to him.

"You want to help?" He asked and Shunsui nodded as the other man adjusted his glasses. "…Can you take him?" He offered them the twisted little fry. The spawn immediately tried to come back to him but this time Starrk did not allow it. "He would never be accepted. The other mer would look down on him and torment him. I hope it might be better if he is raised as a human?" Although he didn't know that. For all he knew the child was doomed to be alone. Although if that was the case, he would at least have his spawner. The thought made Starrk's heart twist. He knew what it was to be alone, intimately, although for him the cause was quite different.

"He will gradually lose his magical attributes, including his immortality." The man with the glasses warned and Starrk nodded. He knew that, intimately. He'd almost taken that road himself, once. He was very thankful that he hadn't.

"It still might be better for him. The need to mate when we are on our second stage… it is painful. He would never be able to relieve it, never make the transition to spawner." Starrk gently petted that warm chestnut hair. "Let's see if I can convince him to take his land form." The children could speak, a bit, and they were already learning the magic that allowed them to shift.

It took a great deal of coaxing, but he did manage it. The little legs that were revealed made Shunsui brighten.

"A club foot? He's old to wear a cast for it and it will probably hurt… we might even have to break it… but that can be fixed." He sounded very relieved. Starrk blinked at the thought. Fixed? He knew of no way to fix a twisted fin. "What is his name?"

"Isamu." Starrk smiled at his little spawn, gently encouraging him to go to his sire. It was hard going, the child kept wanting to cling to him. "I picked it because it means brave. He is always so brave, trying so hard to do what comes easily to the others." No one could fault the little fry for his determination. "Here." He finally managed to pull away the spawn and set him firmly in the boat. The child reached out for him, crying in the mer tongue. He only had a few words but he knew the one for spawner. Starrk crooned to him soothingly but the child just kept reaching, tears in his eyes. He sensed what was about to happen. "It will help when I go. Take good care of him, please?" He looked at Shunsui appealingly. The man nodded soberly.

"I will, I swear it." He said as he picked up the little fry. Starrk smiled at the sight before ducking beneath the waves, calling to the rest of his spawn. They followed readily, heading back to their crèche grounds.

Hopefully, little Isamu would have a good life.


	59. Weasels

Author's Note: Gratuitous smut ahoy! This is partly inspired by Anime Munters. Enjoy!

Starrk paced through the prisoner's black, looking into the cells pensively. Lilinette wandered by his side, meandering to and fro in a childlike way.

If it had been up to him, he likely wouldn't have been here at all. But Aizen's orders were firm. He wanted all of his Espada to Claim at least one taichou class reiatsu, preferably more. For the traitor, the Hollow Claim was a tremendously useful thing. A foolproof method of control, provided that the Espada in charge of the shinigami was careful with his orders…

Starrk dismissed the man he'd defeated instantly. He was unconscious at the moment, hanging from his chains and looking more than a little battered. No surprise, he'd very nearly been killed by the Espada's final attack. His white haired friend was there, also unconscious and Starrk paused to regard him for a moment before dismissing him as well. He did not want a pet smarter than himself. And he was absolutely certain those two would prove to be masters at twisting orders into pretzels to get what they wanted. No, that was far too much effort to deal with.

He slowly went through the others, considering and discarding most of them. The small woman with a missing arm… she looked feisty. Too much trouble and he wasn't into women. The little boy was definitely not his type. The man with the wolf head was attractive in an odd sort of way but after some careful thought, Starrk decided against him. He wasn't the best at determining who was and was not homosexual, but he thought that one was definitely not. Then Lilinette spotted the little boy and things got weird.

"Hey, that ones' a kid! Can I have him Starrk? Can I?" She begged and he blinked at her, taken aback.

"Wait, what?" He said blankly. "Oh… you want me to Claim him so you could have a playmate?" That wasn't a terrible idea. The young taichou gave them both an outraged look before Lilinette stomped on his foot. "OW!"

"No! I'll do it myself. He looks like he's my age." She said and Starrk's eyes went wide as his mind came unglued. "Why should you get all the fun?"

"LILINETTE!" His yelp was so loud it caught the attention of everyone in the cell block. It even woke up the taichou he'd defeated, the pink one at least. He raised his head, his eyes bleary. "No! Absolutely not! You're… you look like a child!" Of course she really wasn't but – a foot caught him in the belly and Starrk yelped as he was suddenly punched in the head. "LILINETTE!"

"I want a pet TOO Starrk! I'm the Primera too, I get to have a pet!" She shrilled and he had another objection.

"His reiatsu pool is much higher than yours. You'll have to Claim him constantly!" He pointed out and Lilinette grinned at the idea. "LILINETTE!"

"Oh my god you're like a broken record! I do like that horrified look though… I'm going to Claim him and you can't stop me. So there!" She stuck her tongue out at him and Starrk considered just grabbing her and locking her into a nice, safe room until she regained her senses.

"Ahem. Espada-san? Whatever is going on?" Starrk turned to see the battered man he'd defeated, trying to blink a bit of dried blood out of his eyes. Given that he'd been unconscious until Lilinette managed to arouse him, Starrk wasn't too surprised that he was clueless.

"Ask everyone else. I'm sure they can tell you – " He said before almost being drowned out by a chorus of protests. "…Wait, you don't know?" He said, his heart sinking. "Oh kami." He muttered. "Aizen, you bastard." If he was going to require that the Espada do this he should at least inform his prisoners of it, rather than leaving it to the Primera! He rubbed his forehead, trying to think of how to explain. Then Lilinette took it out of his hands.

"Yeah! Aizen wants all his Espada to use the Hollow Claim on some of you guys so you'll have to be loyal an' stuff! Anyone who doesn't get picked goes to Szayel 'till he kills ya! What was the name of that guy Aizen said he's like? I can't remember." She said and Starrk supplied it.

"Kurotsuchi Mayuri." He said and several of the shinigami looked ill. Apparently, that gave them a very good idea of what to expect.

"Yeah, that guy! So it's either be Claimed or get, what, vivisected? Yeah, that's the word!" Lilinette cheered herself as Starrk shrugged helplessly. "So who here is gay? Cuz Starrk's gay as hell!"

"LILINETTE!" He tried to grab her but she evaded. "Stop that!" He was blushing, he knew it. There was a shocked silence before he looked around and explained. "A Hollow Claim is like a reiatsu net on your soul. It forces the bound one to obey any reiatsu enforced orders. It is cast through sex. Now, who here will be the least trouble…?" He still couldn't see any really good candidates. For a moment he stopped on a bald man but the stranger gave him a wicked glare and Starrk shook his head before moving on.

"Ah… Juushiro and I would give you no problems!" His erstwhile opponent said brightly. Starrk greeted that statement with extreme skepticism.

"Taichou-san, you are nothing BUT a problem." He said sourly and the other man gave him a hurt look as Lilinette picked her nose. "And the two of you together would be horrifying." He remembered very well how they had acted on the battlefield. Clearly they were very old friends and quite accustomed to double teaming enemies. There was a rough laugh and another voice spoke.

"He's got you pegged Kyoraku." Starrk looked over in alarm as a terribly intimidating man moved to the bars of his cage. He wasn't restrained like taichou-san, but he did have an extremely heavy reiatsu limiter around his neck. His hair was spiky and had bells on the tips? His grin was absolutely feral. "First guy who tries to touch me'll be eating his own cock."

"…I think I can assure you that not even Grimmjow is that insane." Starrk said after an appalled moment. Lilinette sniggered.

"Starrk might think you're cute but that'd only be if you were balling him – OW! HEY!" He'd just punched her but she immediately took revenge, making him wince as she kicked him. "Come on! You'd never want to top him!"

"Shut up. Just shut up." He growled at her before rubbing his forehead. "If I let you Claim that boy will you leave me alone as I try to decide?" That made her brighten.

"Yeah! Sure! I'll go tell Aizen I'm taking someone!" She lit out and Starrk wondered how that would go. Would Aizen even allow it? Deciding he absolutely didn't care he kept touring the cells. He vaguely wished he hadn't killed those two half-hollows. The one with the long golden hair might have been suitable. A shame that they just hadn't been strong enough to survive his wolves.

"Feisty or weasels. Everyone here is feisty or weasels." He muttered as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "And you are a damned weasel." He added as Kyoraku opened his mouth to say something. He stopped, looking hurt again. Then the door opened and something loud and irritating came in.

"OI! Coyote! What's the damned holdup? Some of the rest of us want our turn!" Grimmjow complained and Starrk ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "You better be leaving some of the women for the rest of us!" That made him stare at the blue haired arrancar incredulously.

"…Grimmjow, are you mentally deficient or is your memory just incredibly faulty?" He asked after a moment. The other Espada looked confused. "Do you not recall that time I spent in Barragan's lair, with all his fraccion? And the little threesome I had with Nnoitra and Tesra? Or the entire bondage playset I had with Gin? In fact, have you EVER seen me show ANY interest in a female?"

"Oh yeah? I figured you just thought Halibel wasn't into you." He said after a moment and Starrk sighed, rubbing his forehead again. "Well if you don't want the chicks can I have one?"

"Go for it." He gestured vaguely. "The little one is feisty, the dark buxom one is a weasel and the last one is just intimidating." He hadn't paid much attention but he still had a fair grip on them. "If you take her she'll be running your life in a month, tops." He predicted gloomily and Grimmjow laughed like he didn't believe it before going to scout out the women. Starrk was very sure he was going to regret whatever choice he made, but put it out of mind. His own dilemma was more pressing. There was a choking sound from the cage beside him.

"You do have a very good grasp of our character, Espada-san!" He said after he got a hold of himself and Starrk sighed before coming to a decision.

"Oh… fine. I'll take you and your friend." At least he was getting a sexual attraction vibration from the man, even if he was a damned weasel. "But if the two of you try to trick me I swear to kami, I will spank you until you can't sit for a week." The other man laughed but Starrk was dead serious. And with a Claim on them, he would be able to do it. Relatively sure he'd have to prove it at least once, he left to inform Aizen of his choices.

This was going to be a very interesting and possibly appalling situation.

* * *

Starrk looked over his collection of toys, considering what to use for tonight.

The white haired taichou was still badly hurt and being tended to by the healing taichou, who was now Claimed by Szayel. Grimmjow had listened to him, thankfully. Starrk thought that Szayel's wits would be up to handling that woman. Although Grimmjow had taken the dark skinned, buxom one that he'd pegged for a weasel. No doubt she'd eventually have him twined around her little finger. Thankfully, that was not his problem. Frowning, he lifted out a ball gag before dropped it back into the toy box.

"Erm… Espada-san… what are you doing, exactly?" The man on his bed was wearing nothing but his pink kimono and a new straw hat. Well, and a reiatsu restraining collar. That would only come off when he was safely Claimed. Starrk looked up from his chest with a blink.

"Thinking of what I should use on you." He said honestly and the slightly petrified look on the other man's face was easy enough to read. "I thought you were a thousand years old. Surely you know this sort of thing." His tastes ran towards bondage. Starrk pulled out some fur lined cuffs and frowned. "Oh, right." Those were the ones he'd accidentally broken when he… Starrk smiled at the cuffs and bounced them in his hands. That had been a very good night. Setting them aside – they were trophies, no longer functional – he kept looking. "Have you ever experienced a really good vibrator?" He asked cheerfully, rather enjoying this. There was a choking sound from the bed.

"I – I – can we possibly save that for another night?" He asked and Starrk laughed before shutting the box and reaching up for his yukata. He wasn't wearing much either, just a dark brown yukata with nothing beneath.

"Gin did mention that Soul Society is quite repressed and doesn't move with the times. I suppose going to a sex shop is a bit risqué for someone with a reputation to maintain, hmm?" He teased the other man and was amused to see him actually blushing a little. "After I have you properly Claimed I might show you how to use these things… on me." He let the desire flow into his voice and Kyoraku swallowed, likely envisioning the Espada bound and gagged, writhing under him. "I do tend to be more of a submissive, in general." It was just his personality. He slowly peeled away the yukata, letting it fall to the ground and revealing his full body. He saw Shunsui's eyes roaming over him, an appreciative smile on his face.

"I think I'll enjoy having you submit to me, Espada-san." He said as Starrk joined him on the bed. The man rolled over, letting his kimono fall away and revealing the strong, muscular body beneath. "But not tonight, eh? Show me what you can do."

"Gladly." Starrk smiled, feeling a bit tingly at the thought. Soon this man would be all his. A weasel? Oh yes. A future discipline problem? Definitely. But attractive as hell… oh yes. He began exploring that warm body, enjoying the fuzzy hairs. He felt wonderful and the other man was exploring him right back, reacting enthusiastically. They kissed deeply, their tongues tangling in an intimate duet. Starrk's fingers brushed over newly healed wounds, ghosting over the still fresh scars and he felt the man under him shiver. Lowering his head, he began exploring those marks, running his tongue over the sensitive skin.

"Oh kami." Shunsui groaned, arching slightly as Starrk teased him, finding the best places to pause and suck. "You are… good at this…" Starrk could feel something quite familiar poking him in the stomach. Smiling, he looked up into the other man's face.

"So are you." He loved the feel of those big hands on his body, stroking and exploring. Really, this seemed like a small slice of heaven to him. "Almost worth the trouble you'll cause me…" He murmured and heard Shunsui chuckle.

"Almost?" He asked and Starrk only smiled. He had a feeling the other man was going to be a lot of trouble. Would it be worth it? He'd decide on that later. Deciding to get down to business, he popped open the lube and coated his fingers with it, gently easing open his partner. "Ah…" There was a soft hiss and Starrk could see that Shunsui wasn't entirely enjoying this part. He gently kissed the man's collarbone, wiggling his finger past that ring of muscle.

"Relax Shunsui. You'll feel pleasure no matter what, I guarantee that, but if I don't lube you properly you'll be regretting it tomorrow." Starrk knew that was true. His partner would enjoy every moment but when he tried to walk the next day… not as much. The other man lifted his head, looking at him curiously.

"Pleasure no matter what?" He asked and Starrk smiled. He hadn't mentioned that so it could be a nice surprise.

"You'll see." He said teasingly as he slid in a second finger. Shunsui groaned, his head falling back as he closed his eyes. He definitely looked pained… Starrk found his prostate and gently, lovingly massaged that organ, making his soon to be lover hiss and jerk. Starrk glanced down, seeing his erection weeping a bit of pre-cum.

When he felt that Shunsui was well stretched, he removed his fingers before hesitating. The other man looked at him from lust hazed grey eyes but was showing no sign of taking the usual position. Of course, he wouldn't know. For a moment Starrk considered just ignoring it but then decided he couldn't. It would just be too strange for him, even if it wouldn't bother the shinigami.

"Claims are traditionally done from behind. If you don't mind?" He said cautiously. If Shunsui didn't favor that position, he supposed he would do it from the front. After his time with Gin, Starrk was well aware that positions were meaningless for shinigami. He'd become far more flexible about it himself, in fact. Shunsui blinked at him before shrugging with a small smile.

"I don't mind." He said before turning over, the pink kimono pooling around him on the bed. Starrk nuzzled the back of his neck before slowly easing his way inside. "Oh… ow…" Shunsui muttered. Starrk chuckled, nuzzling his throat before sending a jolt of reiatsu into his body. The man suddenly arched, his eyes going wide. "AH!"

"Yes, that is what it's like to be Claimed." Starrk murmured, savoring the feeling of being sheathing in that tight heat, the way the other man abruptly tightened around him at the onslaught of pleasure. Pulling out slightly he shoved back in, filling the man with another wave of reiatsu. Shunsui's gasps and lust filled sounds were music to his ears.

"Kami, oh kami more…" The other man moaned and Starrk was more than willing to give him that. He moaned, taking the other man more swiftly as he gripped those hips, pulling those firm buttocks flush against him.

"You feel so wonderful in there." He breathed, that tight, wet, gripping heat stimulating him almost unbearably. "Kami!" It was his first time issuing a Claim and he was finding it was an intensely carnal experience. The feel of putting his power into the other man, filling his body and soul with energy as he took his body from the inside out…

Starrk speeded his thrusts, trying not to be too rough. But his body had demands and he wanted this man now, wanted him more than anything in the world. The fabric of the kimono rustled as wanton sounds filled the air, the bed squeaking beneath them as their bodies moved together. Starrk groaned, pouring more of his power into the man as he went in as deeply as he could. This was amazing…

"Oh… kami… no more… I can't…" Shunsui begged incoherently and Starrk knew he was right. The other man could tolerate his power but there were still limits. He was close to reaching them, he needed to finish this. Nuzzling Shunsui's throat, he sniffed for a moment before finding the spot that called to him the most, the place that filled his nose with a beautiful, musky scent. Then he sank his fangs in, a delicate little bite that let him draw back the power he'd infused the other man with. "AH!" The intensity of Shunsui's orgasm shook his whole body and Starrk reacted with pure pleasure, finding his own moment of release. It was easily one of the most intense sexual experiences he'd had in his life. The feel of that incredibly tight body around him, this powerful man submitting to the Claim…

The moment couldn't last, of course. It passed and they were both left gasping and exhausted. Starrk gently removed his fangs, nuzzling Shunsui as the man collapsed onto the bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Starrk was less exhausted – issuing the Claim was slightly less intense than being Claimed – and he kissed his new lover before picking up some tissues and gently cleaning him off. He'd been prepared for this. Shunsui glanced down, his grey eyes hazy with exhaustion.

"Oh, thank you." He murmured and Starrk just smiled at him as he yawned. "Juu will… love… this…" He muttered before dropping his head. His soft snore followed a moment later and Starrk tossed the tissues away before curling up beside his brand new pet. Yes, it almost seemed worth it.

Damned weasel or not, Shunsui was excellent in bed.


	60. AU - Ghoul - Part 5

"This is awfully good. I don't think we've ever fed this well before." Lilinette said as she ate something more than a touch rotten. What had it been originally? A spleen? Shunsui decided he would much rather not think about it, closing his eyes and taking a bite of his own food. Once again, it was alarmingly delicious.

"Mmm hmm. Thank you, Shunsui. I would never have thought of it." Starrk sounded very content and Shunsui nodded before swallowing.

"It was nothing." He'd just provided them the idea. Starrk was the one who had put it into practice. "No one suspects anything?"

"Nothing. I never imagined it would be this easy." Starrk took another bite of his food. Once, it had been a diseased organ, removed only to be replaced. That might have bothered them but most such diseases were chronic and ghouls were not susceptible to infections. "There are no cameras and no one has noticed a thing."

"Yeah, well, who would want crap like this? Except for a ghoul?" Lilinette asked, which was very true. Starrk nodded, taking his empty plate to the sink for a quick rinse. "Just don't get fired, your job makes this way easier."

"No chance of that. Everyone loves me." Starrk said, looking up from the running water with a smile. "Apparently I'm the best janitor they've ever had."

"That's because they're not paying for shit." Lilinette said, cynical observer of human nature. Shunsui rather agreed. Starrk's worth ethic was a steal for the price. And… "You're even saving them money incinerating these things. Man, they should be paying you extra! You're getting hosed Starrk."

"I can hardly tell them that." Starrk said, mildly pained, and Shunsui chuckled. "Why don't you tell Shunsui how he's getting hosed?"

"I'm not as badly off as you. I'm not paying into a retirement plan and employment insurance I'll never use." He said easily and Starrk made a face. It was true though. He was working completely under the table which meant no deductions from his paycheck. It was a small paycheck but it was all his. "But who cares? Starrk, can you tell me a bit about your history?" He asked. "How you were picked to become a ghoul?" Because Starrk had made it clear it was a deliberate selection, not a random accident. He was very curious about that. The elder ghoul froze for a moment and Lilinette sighed.

"Now he's going to get all funky. OI! Take it to the roof!" A blue tentacle came out and tried to swat Starrk. He blocked neatly but blinked at the action. "Go look at the stars."

"We won't see any stars here. Just city lights." Starrk protested but moved towards the door. "She has heard this all before… come, Shunsui. We can talk without interruptions." Shunsui nodded, following. Lilinette often appreciated some time to herself anyway. Often, they found the lube in places it shouldn't be after that. Shunsui resolutely refused to think about why.

They made their way up the stairs, ignoring the stench of urine in the stairwell and the broken needles in the corners. This was not a nice apartment building although it wasn't the worst. A few flights took them to the roof and Starrk jimmied the lock on the door with practiced ease. No one was actually supposed to be on the roof. Making their way outside, they settled down on the edge of the crumbling bricks, gazing over the city. Or rather, looking out over the parking lot and at the nearby high rise. They were not privileged with any kind of view. Shunsui smiled a bit to himself as he remembered. It was a lot like the group home he and Juushiro had met in.

"Mmm." Starrk gazed over the landscape, his expression pensive and his hands folded loosely in his lap. "Shunsui… it is painful, to remember these things. But I told Lilinette so I should tell you as well." He said after a moment and Shunsui just listened, not interrupting. "A long time ago but not so far away, I was a young man. Strong, a great hunter and a student to the shaman of our tribe. My parents were not high status but I showed signs of changing that." Starrk said softly, gazing away as he remembered.

"Then, the ghoul of our tribe began looking for a successor." He said and Shunsui nodded. "We were a large tribe, with a good hunting range. Others envied us and a new tribe came to the area, looking to muscle us out. He knew there would be a great battle, one that he might not survive. Just in case, he wanted to turn one of us, to leave with the women and children to guard if everything went wrong." He explained before gazing down at his hands. "He was a very reclusive man. We regarded him with awe… he went through all of the young warriors, questioning us carefully and receiving opinions on us. Finally, he chose me." Starrk turned his arm over and Shunsui saw something he'd missed before… a scar. It was the imprint of human teeth. "I was deeply honored by his choice and vowed to defend the tribe with all my power and skill."

"I don't think you understand what it was like." Starrk said and his voice was full of so much grief, an ancient sadness. "We were little gods, Shunsui. That was what the word for us meant, in fact. _Yatansoku_… avatars, gods made flesh. My family was so proud of me! My mother and father became high status on the strength of it. My sisters both made good marriages, all because of me. Generations later, my sisters' great grandchildren would look at me and say _we are related to him!_ And they said it with pride." Starrk fell silent for a moment and Shunsui could feel his pain, his longing for those times lost. "It was an honor to feed me. The sacrifices were made gladly."

"And now, I am like all the others." He said softly, so softly that Shunsui had to strain to hear him. "Nothing but vermin, a scavenger, feared and hunted. It hurts to remember. I try not to think about those good times, when I was respected and treasured." He glanced at the scar on his arm again before looking away with a sigh. "Sometimes, I regret surviving so long. Perhaps I should have allowed myself to die when the tribe began to turn away…"

"No." Shunsui reached out, gripping Starrk's shoulder and giving him a squeeze. "Starrk, you are a remarkable man. The world would be much poorer without you." He said with absolute sincerity. "I would never have imagined a ghoul like you." Urahara had a good grasp of Starrk's basic character, but even he didn't know the extent of it. Shunsui wondered what he would think, if he knew the lengths the Thief went to, to avoid killing. And the reasons behind it. Acting purely on instinct, Starrk ran a hand through Starrk's before pulling him into a kiss.

He could taste just the faintest trace of salt on the elder ghoul's lips, the hint of his sorrow. He could see the wide grey eyes, feel the intensity as Starrk returned his kiss passionately. Hands ran through his hair, finding the tie to his ponytail and combing the fabric away. The elder ghoul griped his hair and Shunsui reached up, stroking a hand through his lover's heavy hair. Although…

"Have you ever thought about growing this out?" He asked and Starrk chuckled in his ear, a low, warm sound.

"I've done it. I look like a wendigo." He said and Shunsui laughed at the thought. "It goes frizzy… ah, nevermind that. I want you. Can I have you?" He asked and Shunsui swallowed at the thought. He rarely allowed another man into his body. Did he want to do it now?

"Yes." He said huskily, putting his arms around Starrk's shoulders and pulling the man into another kiss. Starrk returned it as he reached into his pocket. "Mmm… you have lube?" That was strange. The elder ghoul laughed, softly.

"No. I have hand cream. I mixed some chemicals by hand and it made my skin a bit dry." He said, smiling. Shunsui smiled back as hands found his shirt, working on the buttons. "I love the way you look." Starrk said appreciatively as warm hands moved over his body. Shunsui laughed as the other ghoul paused to shrug out of his shirt. With the dirty jobs he needed to do, Starrk favored dark t-shirts.

"I love the way you look, too." They were really very different. Starrk was a different body type, lighter and wirier than his stocky build. The other ghoul was also nearly hairless, thanks to his drunken experiments with potions. Shunsui thought it was gorgeous. He'd never tried to remove his own hair, since it would just be a ridiculous amount of work and pain, but he wasn't that fond of it. "Starrk…" He caught his hand in those heavy brown strands, pulling the other ghoul into a kiss. Starrk claimed his mouth as though he was trying to devour him.

Soon they were naked, using their clothing to give a bit of padding on the cold roof. Shunsui gasped as fingers, well coated in lube, breached him. Starrk took it slowly and carefully, letting him get accustomed to the feel of those digits inside himself. Briefly, he wondered why Starrk didn't use his tentacles, but then dismissed the thought. They were on the roof and while it was unlikely someone would see them, it was possible. They lived here and that kind of mistake could force them to move, something no one wanted.

Then those fingers massaged his prostate and the pleasure wiped any other thought away. Shunsui groaned, arching slightly at the feeling. Starrk kissed him on the throat, rubbing their bodies together as he continued to stimulate him.

When the other man thought he was ready, Starrk positioned himself. Shunsui breathed slowly, keeping himself loose and supple as the elder ghoul began slowly pressing his way inside. The size of that organ made him groan softly in pain, but that was quickly replaced with pleasure as he was filled, so completely. He felt Starrk straining against him, fighting hard not to move.

"Please, take me…" He breathed and Starrk groaned before pulling back and sliding back into his well-lubed body. "AH!" The feel of that heavy cock hitting his prostate was amazing. And it felt even better as Starrk gripped his cock, stroking him in time with each thrust.

The man above him took it slowly, savoring every moment of the sex. Shunsui could see it in Starrk's face, the intense pleasure he was feeling. He felt the same, deeply enjoying every kiss, every moment of the intensely carnal sensations.

"I think I love you." He whispered into the other man's ear and felt Starrk go still for just a moment. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that. Perhaps it was too early… then Starrk moved against him and he groaned as his prostate was hit again.

"Shunsui. I feel like you… complete me." Starrk said and he felt like his heart could burst. That was… he didn't have words. "I could see… walking through the plains with you… being taken under the stars…"

"Oh god." That vision, of being beside Starrk when the ghoul was young and the world was new, was enchanting. Then the pleasure of his body wiped the thought away and he clung to the other man, feeling the sweat beading on his body as that heavy organ continued tormenting his body. "Still beautiful… now…" Making love under the streetlights on this dirty rooftop… somehow, it was still magnificent. Probably because it was Starrk.

He felt it as the pressure inside him built, demanding release. Shunsui quivered, pushing back against his lover as he got closer and closer. Starrk gasped and Shunsui met his eyes just before the ghoul stiffened against him. The fell of that member pulsing inside him, the hand wrapped around his cock easily brought him over the edge. He cried out, his voice heavy with lust as his body spasmed, coating Starrk's hand with his seed.

They both lay tangled together, slowly coming down from their high. Starrk slowly nuzzled and kissed him on the throat, making him sigh. It felt so good. He nuzzled the other man back, enjoying the moment. Although that reminded him…

"One thing I meant to ask. You said that you were partly picked because you were gay?" He wondered about that. Starrk chuckled softly, completely relaxed after coitus.

"Yes." The other ghoul slowly pulled away, leaving him before laying down beside him with a smile. "In the tribe it was always important to make good, strong children. So many died young, you see." He said and Shunsui nodded. He could imagine that, without any modern medical care. "My lack of desire for women, on top of my other qualities, decided him. Ghouls are sterile, after all." He said and Shunsui nodded.

"That makes sense. Did you want to just stay up here for a while?" He was feeling disinclined to move. Starrk smiled, nuzzling him again.

"I would love to." They were just starting to drop off when there was a knock on the door, then the sound of someone fiddling with the lock. Starrk looked over lazily as Lilinette popped open the door and Shunsui frowned, looking over and taking care to stay behind Starrk. Lilinette had seen them naked before but it was still a touch embarrassing. And why was she bothering them? And why did she look so serious?

"Starrk? Shunsui? We've kind of got a problem…" She said and his stomach sank as Starrk frowned, standing and picking up his clothing. "It's in our apartment." That made him swallow as he quickly pulled on is clothing. What did that mean?

They found out as they went inside. There was a dead body sprawled out in the middle of the den. It was a young man and he had clearly been dispatched by one of Lilinette's tentacles. She had done it almost surgically, ramming it through the base of his skull. There was very little blood and only a bit of brain matter.

"Very neat, but what happened?" Starrk asked calmly as Shunsui felt a little sick. Lilinette quickly explained.

"He came knocking at the door. The spyglass is broken – you know that – " Shunsui grimaced as Starrk nodded. That was on his list of things to fix but fairly low. "So I opened the door and he kicked it right in! Broke the chain." She waved at the door. It was closed but they could see the damage. "Then he put his hand over my face so I couldn't scream and shoved me back, closing the door behind him. I kind of let him pull me into the den 'cause I wanted to see what he was doing. When he started trying to tear off my clothes I stabbed him." She reported and the anger on Starrk's face as he glared at the body was a bit frightening to see. Shunsui felt much the same, though. Lilinette might be eighteen but she looked only twelve, thirteen at the most. "Anyway, what are we going to do with this? We don't have a freezer." She said practically and Shunsui winced. That made him feel like a serial killer. Although no one could argue that this stranger hadn't deserved it.

"Hmm." Starrk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if we could get a freezer? It would be a shame to waste this." He said after a moment. "Although we could harvest the organs and age them in the fridge. Still, the whole body would be preferable." He kept his voice down, mindful of the thinness of the walls.

"There's really nowhere to put it." Shunsui put in. The apartment was rather small. "We should take what we can and get rid of it. Perhaps the river?" They could weigh the body down. The odds that it would be found were low. Starrk nodded.

"Lilinette, the tarp." She quickly ran to the closet to get that. It was a bit sickening to contemplate, but this was not the first time Starrk had dealt with a fresh body. His kit was nothing like what a serial killer would use but there were a few necessities. Soon they had the plastic beneath the body and Shunsui swallowed as Starrk summoned his tentacles and began giving him a quick anatomy lesson. He paid attention, aware of the fact that he would have to do this himself someday. "Too much fat in the body cavity. I really wonder about that. I never saw that at all, when I was young. Later, after agriculture began, I would see it sometimes. But now it's endemic." Starrk said as he extracted the organs, his tentacles flicking through the flesh with practiced ease. "I think it must be very unhealthy but I have no idea what causes it."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry. Want me to get the brain?" Lilinette asked and Shunsui swallowed as Starrk nodded. Blue tentacles carefully sliced open the bone. It was effortless for her, but that meant she had to be careful not to cut the brain apart. It was better if she took it out intact.

When the butchery was done they got a garbage bag for the body. The corpse and the soiled tarp went in together. Then it was time for them to take the body to the river. Lilinette went with them, skipping along and lending her aura of innocence to their dark task. Who would believe a little girl could be helping to dispose of a body? No one.

Sometimes, Lilinette could be a very effective cover.

* * *

Shunsui mixed a drink and pushed it down the bar to the man who had ordered it. He took the drink, leaving a few dollars on the bar. Enough to pay for his drink with perhaps a quarter to spare. Shunsui took them with alacrity, before anyone else could think to grab them. This was not an upscale bar and any money lying around tended to vanish.

Shunsui smiled to himself as he kept serving drinks. This was a very familiar job to him. He'd done it for years when he was a young man. And the quality of the bar had been much the same then, too. He'd started when he was too young to be inside a bar, legally, and he'd been paid under the table then too. Strangely, he almost felt like he'd stepped back in time.

When he turned to serve his next customer, though, that feeling turned into full fledged déjà vu. For a moment he didn't even register why it was a problem.

"Whisky on the rocks, please." Juushiro said with a small smile and Shunsui felt his own mouth drop open. He couldn't help the utterly shocked reaction. How…? "And can we talk later, when your shift is over?"

"Uh… yes, of course." He said as he started to recover, getting his best friend a drink on autopilot. "I, uh… that's not until 2 AM." And then Lilinette would be arriving to make sure he got home safely. They couldn't afford a car and while he was definitely gaining control of his tentacles, another ghoul might still be tempted to take a shot. Juushiro took his drink and sipped on it as Shunsui tried to concentrate on his job, ignoring his shock and worry.

There was a lot to be concerned about. Had Urahara found them? But if so, why was Juushiro speaking to him like this? Shunsui thought as he worked and decided his friend had to be acting on his own. But how had Juu found him so easily? He would have to ask. And that brought him to another concern… Lilinette. She might recognize him and try to get rid of him immediately. And who could blame her? They were all settled in here and didn't want to leave so soon. In a few years they would have to – Lilinette's lack of growth would become noticeable – but they wanted to stretch it out. And what did Juushiro think he was doing, hunting down ghouls this way…?

When his shift was finally over the owner locked up the bar and Shunsui took his best friend out back. That was where he usually met Lilinette and it was also a good place to talk privately.

"Juu, what in hell is going on? How did you find me here?" He asked, feeling a tremendous anxiety. "Kisuke doesn't know about this, does he?" If he did… Shunsui was sure someone was moving on Starrk and Lilinette already. Juushiro shook his head.

"No, I'm doing this on my own. I spotted you at that anime convention and I know you. I knew you would get a job at a bar." He said and Shunsui blinked, his mind reeling a little. Was he really that predictable? Juushiro saw how taken aback he was and smiled, slightly. "Remember what they taught us? People tend to gravitate to the professions they know."

"…Damn it." Juushiro was right. He'd forgotten about that or at least, never thought of applying it to himself. "So you just surfed the bars until you found me?" He asked and his friend nodded.

"It wasn't that hard. I asked around for anyone of your description." He said calmly and Shunsui bit his lip. "But I have questions too. Was it a delayed change or did the Thief come for you? And have you been killing people?" He asked, his gaze stern. Shunsui wondered what Juu thought he would do if the ghouls had. But then, his best friend knew he wouldn't harm him.

"It was a delayed change. I nicked myself on his fang when I tried to check his breathing." He said quietly, feeling a deep pain in his heart. He loved Starrk and Lilinette was adorable, but he'd lost his whole life. It still hurt. "And the only one we've killed so far was a man who tried to rape the girl." He knew better than to use names. "He deserved it." Shunsui said firmly. There had never been any danger to Lilinette but if she'd been a normal child, well… Juushiro frowned at him.

"How have you been feeding then? There's three of you." He said suspiciously and Shunsui smiled, remembering.

"Do you remember Annalise?" He asked and Juushiro blinked at the non-sequiter. "The girl I dated for a while? The one who could go on and on about all the disgusting things she had to do in her job as a nurse?"

"…Oh. Yes, I remember." Juushiro said and Shunsui wasn't surprised. His friend had stopped going to eat with him while he was dating her. "What about her?"

"She happened to mention that hospitals send all kinds of organic waste to be incinerated." He said cheerfully, although he vaguely wondered if this was a good idea. But he had to tell Juu something and the truth was much better than a lie. "The Thief has a job as a janitor now at the local hospital. We're all very well fed."

"Oh." Juushiro absorbed that for a moment before looking very relieved. "I – " He stopped short as a little girl skipped into view.

"Hey Shunsui! I – oh, who's this?" She smiled sweetly at Juushiro, who smiled back automatically. Shunsui wasn't surprised, his friend had always loved children. "He work here too?" She asked, which made some sense. Shunsui shook his head.

"No. This is my friend, Ukitake Juushiro." She froze slightly and he saw the brief look of panic that crossed her face. Her eyes abruptly shifted to ghoul black and blue and Juushiro took a step back, but nothing else happened. She looked at him, though.

"Your childhood friend? St… he's not going to be happy." She quickly censored herself and Shunsui nodded.

"I know. We all need to talk." He could feel how tense Juu was beside him and tried to reassure him. "No one's going to hurt you." He said and Lilinette huffed, her eyes going back to their normal pink.

"You must be crazy, coming after a bunch of ghouls like this! And how'd you find us anyhow? He's gonna be pissed! Well, come on, not like we have all day." She turned away then suddenly stopped. "HEY! Do you have a car? That'd be awesome!"

"I do actually. It's a rental." Juushiro said immediately and Lilinette almost squealed. Shunsui winced a little at the sound. "Please follow me." It turned out he was in a public parking area. Shunsui thought he was lucky that the car hadn't been ripped off yet. This was definitely not the good part of town.

The car was intact, though, so they quickly took it to the apartment complex. There was assigned parking and their spot was empty, thankfully. They'd never used it so other people had gotten into the habit of taking it. Making their way upstairs, they quickly entered the apartment. Starrk was nowhere to be seen, though.

"He's taking a nap." Lilinette supplied. "I'll go kick him awake." She darted off to the bedroom and they all heard a startled yelp followed by the murmuring of voices. Shunsui took a seat on the couch and Juushiro followed a moment later, sitting gingerly. Then Starrk came out of the bedroom. He was still in his work uniform, looking slightly rumpled. He was not in the least bit sleepy, though, and his grey eyes were cool and thoughtful as he looked at Juushiro.

"The man with the hat cannot have sent you. He would have sent an apprehension team, with those terrible nets they like to use." Starrk said and Shunsui grimaced. The other ghoul had briefed him on the methods used to take ghouls alive and the nets sounded very unpleasant. Starrk took a seat in the only other chair, a battered recliner. "I'm afraid the only refreshments we can offer are water and tea."

"Tea would be fine." He said politely and Starrk glanced at Lilinette, who took the hint and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on. "And yes, I'm acting on my own. I spotted Shunsui on the news and I had to reassure myself."

"The news?" Starrk sounded taken aback and Juushiro explained about the anime convention. That made the elder ghoul rub his head in mental pain. "Random chance. I hate that… there's never a good way to prevent such things. Ah! But at least that horrible man does not know about us. There's at least some chance that we won't have to move."

"Horrible man?" Juushiro questioned and Starrk gave him a small, sad smile.

"He means Urahara Kisuke." Shunsui supplied as Juushiro frowned. "Apparently, he likes to experiment on us." Starrk nodded.

"I rescued a ghoul from his clutches, once. Although I had to destroy her myself, not long after." Starrk sounded quietly grief stricken and Shunsui blinked. He hadn't heard this part. Lilinette poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Hey, what's that? You never told me this story! What happened?" She asked and Starrk sighed. Then he shrugged.

"It's not that interesting." He said, which Shunsui greeted with extreme skepticism. In his opinion, Starrk hardly knew the meaning of the word. He'd seen far too much to be a good judge of what was interesting to mere mortals. "Her name was Halibel. We met and became lovers in the Middle Ages… she begged me to turn her, so we could be together until the end of time." Starrk shook his head. "I told her that the end of time was longer than she could imagine and we would be lucky to have a few hundred years where our love burned. Still, I did change her. I needed a companion and we truly loved each other." He paused, staring away for a moment. "I was right… our love gradually faded, as such things often do. Our parting was not acrimonious. I have a good sense of when to end such things." He still sounded sad, though. Shunsui wondered queasily if that would ever be him and Starrk, agreeing to part ways. He couldn't imagine it but he hadn't been with the other ghoul for hundreds of years, either. "Sometimes, we can sense those we change when they are in pain or deep distress. I felt her agony… I had to save her from him. He was torturing her."

"Then why did you kill her?" Juushiro asked softly as Starrk stopped, looking at his hands. The ghoul blinked, looking up again.

"The years had not been kind to her. It did not take long before I realized she had lost her mind. No doubt that was how he justified his behavior towards her… she had taken to killing, and worse. She liked to torment those she killed, like a child playing with flies. Ah, thank you." Lilinette rested a mug of tea on the table in front of him, then another in front of Juushiro. She gave him a questioning look and he shook his head. Then she took a seat beside him, perching on the arm of the sofa. "When I objected she called them ants and tried to convince me that it was our right to do what we liked with humans. I pretended to be open to that. When she turned away from me I gathered all my power into one kenserie and dispatched her. It was clean and painless." Starrk sighed, rubbing his face. "Difficult, but it had to be done."

"I see." Juushiro hesitated a moment. "I can only stay a few more days before I have to go home but… could we meet again? I can see you and Shunsui are very close." Shunsui stared at that. How did he…? Juushiro flashed him a smile. "I know you very well, you know. The way you look at him is so obvious."

"Juu!" He couldn't help but blush. Lilinette laughed as Starrk also blushed a little. "We both have tomorrow off. We could do something." And maybe Juushiro could reassure himself about what kind of a man Starrk was. He looked at Starrk questioningly for a moment. The other ghoul looked pensive before nodding.

"Perhaps the petting zoo. I do rather enjoy that." It was cheap and fun. Shunsui smiled a bit, remembering. Starrk had kept saying it was for Lilinette at first, until she'd tried to smack him and told him to own up to the fact that he loved fuzzy little critters. "My name is Coyote Starrk. This is Lilinette Gingerbuck." He introduced them both and Shunsui felt a bit of relief. Giving Juushiro their names meant the elder ghoul was trusting him, at least a bit. Although Starrk did often use false names, especially on his fake IDs.

"I'm Ukitake Juushiro." He introduced himself and they continued chatting for a while before Juushiro had to leave. They set a time to meet the next day. Shunsui smiled a bit to himself at the thought.

He was sure they would have a very good time.


	61. Sacrifice - Part 2

Starrk woke up to warmth and a surprising lack of pain.

His mind was still hazy from the fever but he was tracking as he glanced around, taking in his surroundings. He was in some kind of room? Under soft blankets. It was very warm and soft compared to what he was used to and he was tempted to just settle in and sleep. He preferred a good cushion but he hadn't had one of those in so long that anything would do…

Then he remembered and any temptation to rest vanished. His eyes went wide as he sat up, stifling a groan as dizziness struck him. He was not even remotely well but he had to escape while they thought he was still helpless. He stumbled for the door, trying to hide his reiatsu. Unfortunately, he failed. His illness made him flare unpredictably and the door opened, a very tall woman stopping his flight.

"You should not be out of bed. You are very sick." She gripped his arm and tried to steer him back but Starrk gave her a push. Not with his hands or body, but with his reiatsu. His control over his power as a plus soul was laughable, but she was much weaker and was shoved back several steps, her eyes wide with surprise. He used the moment to break for the door –

And almost ran into a second woman. This one made him whimper because he could sense the depth of her power. She was like the man in pink… he would have absolutely no hope against her.

"Starrk-san, please come back to bed." She said firmly before gripping his arm. Starrk did the only thing he could think of… he went limp, letting her take his full weight. That took her off guard – for all the strength of her reiatsu, she could not hold him with a single hand – and she was pulled down. He shoved sharply at her with his reiatsu, throwing her further off balance, then sharply jerked away and ran for the door. He had to – "Hainawa!" The golden chains wound around him, putting him on the ground and Starrk cried out. _No!_ Then she was saying something else and his mind reeled before descending into darkness.

He knew nothing more.

* * *

The next time Starrk woke up, he was in restraints.

It was not uncomfortable. They were chains that would prevent him from turning over or leaving the bed, but they did give him enough slack to find a comfortable position. He tilted his head, gazing them over thoughtfully before testing them. They were much too strong to break but the chain had quite a bit of length to it. Starrk contemplated that before nodding. It would be gruesome and excruciatingly painful, but he could use that to kill himself. And he might want to get started on that before they realized his intentions…

Looping the chains over his throat, he took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. He didn't want to do this. He really, really, really didn't. But he wanted to be tortured even less. Acting with grim concentration, he began to tighten the chains. The key to it was to make it so they would not release when he lost consciousness. The screaming of his lungs, the agony of his body was secondary to his absolute determination. He had to make this happen.

He was just starting to pass out when the door to his room opened. Starrk could hardly hear the woman. Her voice was so vague and distant but he did hear it.

"Starrk-san, would you – _Unohana taichou!_" Vaguely, as he lost consciousness, Starrk felt a moment of despair.

Why couldn't he just die?

* * *

The next time he woke up, Starrk was in full restraints.

He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. The cuffs on his wrists and ankles kept him from moving. Closing his eyes, he mentally gave up. The shinigami could do what they liked with him. There was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn't open his eyes as the door opened again.

"You know, Starrk-san, I would not have pegged you for the suicidal type." The man in pink. Starrk shivered slightly as he remembered before reluctantly opening his eyes. The man was standing beside his bed, looking down at him contemplatively.

"You don't know me at all, taichou-san." He said tiredly before closing his eyes again. Really, a few minutes on a battlefield hardly gave insight to character. Or maybe it did, but Starrk didn't feel like admitting it.

"I think I know you quite well, actually. Lilinette has been eager to tell us all about you." That sent a jolt of pain through his chest and Starrk could almost taste the blood. He swallowed hard, trying to force that feeling back.

"Lilinette…" He whispered her name, forcing himself to open his eyes. "Do you intend to kill her again, taichou-san?" He asked, his voice uneven. The other man stared at him, apparently taken aback by his question. Not that Starrk would ever trust his expression to show him the truth. He knew much better than that.

"Why would I do that? She's only a helpless child." He said and Starrk laughed. It was a short, bitter sound.

"As if that would stop you for eliminating a potential threat." He knew better than that. "And me? I am certainly a threat." They had to know he had his memories. The shinigami – was his name Kyoraku? He honestly couldn't remember – raised the brim of his hat, regarding him with calm grey eyes.

"Do you intend to free Aizen, then?" He asked and Starrk laughed again. This time it had a brittle, painful edge.

"After what he did to Halibel? I hope he rots." He said with a vicious edge of hate. The man in pink started to nod but then stopped, an arrested look on his face.

"How do you know about that? It happened well after you fell." He said and Starrk swallowed, blinking rapidly. That question brought back the moment and he could taste the blood again, rising in the back of his throat.

"I… I…" He wheezed as it suddenly felt difficult to breathe, as if the air was made out of something heavier, like water. He could feel his heart racing and felt sweat breaking out along his hairline. "I…" His chest hurt. The pain seemed to radiate from the scar there and he shuddered, trembling as the memories began to overwhelm him. "Lilinette…" He gasped, trying to find her in his mind. But he couldn't. She wasn't there. _She's dead. She died before me, just like Barragan died, just like Halibel died, the fraccion, oh god I am alone please no I can't be alone again!_ He could taste the blood, feel the agonizing pain as his traitorous body simply refused to give up hope of rescue… rescue that he knew was impossible when he felt Halibel's pain and betrayal, knew their god had forsaken them. _No please stop let it stop I want to die I want to die… _Starrk was vaguely aware of something biting into his wrists but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the struggle to breathe as blood clogged his throat and slowly, too slowly filled his lungs.

"Coyote Starrk." Somehow, that voice penetrated his panic. Starrk blinked as he was forced to focus on blue eyes. "You are having a panic attack. Please remain calm."

"Calm? I… Lilinette…?" He still couldn't find her. Then he remembered. He wasn't supposed to find her now. She wasn't part of him anymore, they were two whole beings, almost entirely independent of each other.

"What happened?" Taichou-san. He sounded concerned. "A panic attack?" He sounded questioning and Starrk gasped before responding.

"You asked… how I knew. I wasn't dead. I was dying… it took me so long to die." He shivered, remembering the pain of it. "I felt Halibel die, felt Aizen kill her. I felt him fighting all of you… that horrible old man… what happened to Wonderweiss… I felt it all." He closed his eyes, feeling the agony of it. "Aizen must have known I was alive. He could have… but he didn't. No one did. I finally died, alone. So completely alone." He'd known the shinigami were still alive but severely injured, perhaps even dying. "I'm almost glad Lilinette died first. She was spared that." Her death had been incredibly swift in comparison. And he would never, ever have wanted her to suffer the way he had suffered. "Lilinette…" Although it had been a torture for him, not having her there. He shuddered before a hand gently touched his head, a warmth enfolding him. The kido seemed to penetrate his body and Starrk relaxed in spite of himself, eased away from another bout of stress induced panic. He knew the kindness was a lie but he accepted it anyway. What else could he do?

"Kami." The man in pink sounded shocked. Starrk wondered why. Why would he care about the pain of a mere hollow? "I apologize, Starrk-san. I had no idea you were still alive." He said after a moment and Starrk shrugged a little, closing his eyes.

"Would it really have mattered? I was nothing but a hollow." He said, feeling drained. There was a sigh above him and a hand gripped his shoulder, giving him a squeeze.

"You know, I am not a sadist, Starrk-san. If I'd had any idea you were dying like that I would have given you mercy." He said and Starrk had no idea if he should believe the man or not. And did it really matter at this point? What was done was done. "But if you do not intend to free Aizen, why do you think we should kill you?" He asked. Starrk felt like he was being probed at but he was much too tired to think of anything but the truth. He opened his eyes before he spoke.

"Because that is what you do." He said tiredly and the other man lifted his eyebrows. The disbelief there suddenly ignited his anger. "You know, I'm not illiterate and Tosen had plenty of books. Including the unexpurgated history of Soul Society." He said and saw the faintest shadow of a wince in the other man. "The Quincy, the Bounts, all the others… I know what you do to those who oppose you. And I'm nothing but a plus soul. We're hardly more than trash. Useful trash, sometimes, but still nearly worthless." He said with an edge. "If we can become shinigami, if we can become powerful enough, maybe we earn some minor consideration… if we're lucky." Starrk knew that was true. He'd observed it in the Rukongai. The shinigami tried to sugarcoat it for recruits but there was always a prejudice against ones from the Living World. Shunsui frowned at him then.

"That's hardly true. Plenty of shinigami come from the Living World and they are well respected in our ranks." He argued and Starrk sighed softly. He was sure the other man thought so. He hadn't observed things from the bottom, looking up. "And if you truly believe that, why did you send Lilinette to us?"

"Because I did not want her to starve to death, taichou-san." He said, wishing the other man would go away. He was too tired for this. "I couldn't find enough food for us both. I hid it from her, sacrificed to keep her fed, but it couldn't go on. I was becoming so tired and weak…" Starrk could hear his voice slurring. So tired… the other man heard it too and there was a soft sigh from above him.

"I see we have a long way to go to convince you, Starrk-san. But I don't think we're quite ready to give up. Go to sleep." A hand touched his shoulder again. Starrk vaguely wondered why the other man was even trying. Hadn't he made it clear that he would not trust them? And why did they even want his trust? What use was he to them? But he was too tired to think about it further.

Relaxing into his restraints, he allowed himself to drift into sleep.

* * *

"He's going to be even more difficult than I thought. And I never thought he would be easy." Shunsui drank his sake as Juushiro sipped his tea.

"That bad? From what Lilinette had said I had hoped…" He said, remembering that sweet little girl. She'd filled their ears with stories of how wonderful and caring Starrk was. How he'd always taken care of her, held her when she was hurt, protected her from any threats. How quiet and strong he was. She did have a few negative things to say – she said he was lazy and had trouble talking to people until she kicked him a bit – but overall, Lilinette had portrayed him as a kind, gentle man. Shunsui sighed, looking into his drink as he idly turned the cup.

"He's more distrustful than a recruit from the highest numbered slums." He said sadly, remembering Starrk's behavior. He could not have made his feelings more obvious. "It's a combination of things… apparently, Tosen gave him our full history, the kind we usually only allow taichou to have." He said and Juushiro winced, looking into his tea. For practically forever, things had been kept from the rank and file shinigami. They were often as short lived as humans. How could they be expected to understand the hard choices that sometimes had to be made? "And it seems what he observed since did nothing to change his mind." That wasn't surprising, in the Rukongai. "The worst part, though, is the panic attacks he keeps having. Usually around me." He raised the sake to his lips, taking a sip before setting the cup down. "Memories of his death." He couldn't help the guilt in his voice. "I didn't mean to torture him, Juu."

"It's not your fault, Shunsui. You couldn't have known." His friend said comfortingly. Juushiro had already heard of what had happened to Coyote Starrk. All of the Gotei 13 had been briefed on Unohana's unusual patient. "Has he made any progress at all?" It had been nearly a month. Shunsui shrugged.

"Physically? A great deal. His condition was horrendous. You know that." Juushiro nodded. They'd all gotten a complete briefing on Starrk's condition. Starved, filthy and extremely sick, but there had been more than that. A bad case of intestinal parasites, including a huge tapeworm. That had helped to explain part of why he was so incredibly sick. "Retsu has finally completed his deworming." That had been a grueling process that had to be done in stages. A large parasite die off could cause Starrk terrible distress. "And she finally managed to kill the damned tapeworm, so he's actually getting to keep his food. He's put on some weight and he's moving around, under supervision."

"And mentally?" Juushiro asked as Shunsui paused. His friend grimaced before taking a sip of his sake.

"We have to keep him under close supervision. He broke a mirror, once, when we were careless. Fortunately he hadn't done much with the shards by the time the medics reached him." He said and Juushiro winced. "He hesitated, I think. So that's something, eh?" Shunsui said with a smile that quickly vanished. "I think he only hesitated because we'd brought Lilinette to see him the previous day."

"Ah." They both knew that Starrk had reacted to seeing Lilinette with intense relief. That pained Shunsui because he thought it meant that Starrk hadn't really believed him when he said she was alive and well. It seemed the former Espada only trusted what he could see and touch. "What about…" Juushiro hesitated, not sure if he should bring it up. But Shunsui was in the thick of things. His best friend smiled, half-heartedly.

"What about everyone else? I think half the Gotei 13 thinks he should be thrown into the Mukan and forgotten about. We've sent shinigami there for less, after all." Shunsui said lightly but Juushiro wasn't fooled. He knew Shunsui couldn't stand the thought of Starrk disappearing that way. "Soi Fon would love to make him quietly vanish. And wouldn't that prove him right about us?"

"Shunsui…" Juushiro bit his lip as he sensed how deeply his best friend's pain went. "It's not perfect. It will never be perfect. We just have to do the best we can." He said gently and Shunsui's eyes flashed for a moment before he finished his sake and poured himself another cup.

"I know. But not this time." He said quietly and Juushiro could hear the absolute determination in his voice. "He's going to be mine, Juu. I'm not going to let him disappear. Retsu is helping me. We're going to get him through this." Juushiro wanted to protest. He knew it wasn't entirely up to Shunsui or even Unohana. But he bit the words back, sensing they would be useless. He'd rarely seen Shunsui like this but the last time it had been with Nanao, when he'd decided that come hell or high water, she would be his fukutaichou.

"Good luck." He said, hoping for the best. Things usually did work out the way Shunsui wanted. Nanao was his fukutaichou, after all.

Hopefully he would be able to win Coyote Starrk over, too.


	62. Weasels - Part 2

"You're going to love this Juu, I promise." Starrk smiled as he watched his first pet reassuring his soon to be second pet. The white haired man gasped then blushed as his body was stimulated.

"Shunsui…" He almost growled at his lover, who just smiled at him. Starrk decided it was time for him to get in on things. He moved with easy grace, molding himself to the man's other side. He was lying in the bed on his side, facing Shunsui. He gently stroked aside the long white hair before kissing the back of his neck. "H-Hey!"

"Shh. We have to do this, if you ever want to be free of that retainer." It was a thick black collar around his throat. "And no other Espada will take you." Starrk said seriously. The illness was easy to scent and an immediate turn off to all the other surviving Espada. "You would not last long with Szayel." None of the taichou had been given to him so far but some of them surely would. Starrk was even thinking about taking a third, mostly out of pity. His reiatsu was more than up to the job of holding that many. Lilinette's Claim did not count.

"I know. It's just…" Juushiro closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and reopening them. "This is… embarrassing. We've never taken a third before."

"A first time for everything!" Shunsui said cheerfully before kissing his lover. Starrk continued to nuzzle and explore that warm body before reaching for the lubrication.

Making sure Juushiro was properly prepared was the hardest part. He was far more bashful about things than Shunsui and that caused him to tense. Starrk gently kissed the back of his throat as Shunsui whispered calming words in his ears, letting the slender man hide his face against his strong neck. Starrk decided that he could take Juushiro from the side. It was still behind, after all, if not quite the traditional position. When he felt that the other man was appropriately stretched, he gripped one leg, moving him gently before going inside.

Juushiro's gasp was very satisfying, as he allowed a jolt of his reiatsu to flow into the other man. His hands suddenly clamped down on Shunsui's arms and he chuckled before gently kissing his lover. Starrk smiled and kept moving, deeply enjoying the sensations and Juushiro's reactions.

"You… bastards… you didn't… tell me…" Juushiro panted out, his eyes wide as he experienced the pleasure of the Claim. Shunsui smiled at him, stroking his best friend's face.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise. Isn't it wonderful?" He asked and Juushiro moaned as Starrk sent another burst of reiatsu into his body. He buried his face in that long white hair, enjoying the scent of it and the feel of the other man around him. His body was very different from Shunsui's but just as nice…

Starrk took the Claim slower this time, giving Juushiro the minimum amount of power he could manage, intent on drawing out the experience. He loved the feeling of the other man, the tight heat, the pleasure of being inside him. He was vaguely aware that Shunsui was watching them and touching himself, very aroused by what they were doing. Starrk met his gaze for a moment before smiling and lowering his head, kissing Juushiro's throat and sucking gently on the warm skin. He tasted wonderful…

Gradually he began increasing the speed, infusing more and more of his reiatsu into the trembling body beside him. Juushiro gasped and arched, his eyes wide as the pleasure reached insane heights. Starrk could feel the power building and knew it was almost time. Any longer and he would hurt his lover… he nuzzled Juushiro's throat, enjoying the sweet scent there before fangs tore through soft skin.

Starrk drank back his power, hearing Juushiro's cry of ecstasy, the way his body flexed as he came. That easily brought him over the edge as well and he gasped as he found his pleasure. It was just as good as it had been with Shunsui, just as intense. He pressed as deeply as he could even as he came, filling the other man with intense heat.

After a timeless moment of joy, the pleasure passed. Starrk sighed as he felt Juushiro go limp beside him, his new pet breathing heavily and trembling with reaction. He slowly pulled away, gently stroking back sweaty white hair. Glancing up, he saw that Shunsui had also found his pleasure. He was watching them both, a smile on his face.

"I hate you both." Juushiro murmured, although he didn't sound very convincing. Too tired and satisfied. Starrk smiled, reaching for the tissues to clean him up. He was surprised when another hand stopped him and looked up to see Shunsui there.

"Let me. I'll take care of you both." He said promisingly and Starrk smiled, letting himself relax. He watched through heavy lidded eyes as Shunsui tended to Juushiro, kissing him lovingly as he did. Starrk closed his eyes, intending to just rest them for a moment.

He was asleep before Shunsui was finished.

* * *

Starrk regarded his two pets with annoyance. As he did, he slapped the coiled up whip he was holding against his thigh. They were both going to be feeling it soon.

Juushiro was kneeling on the stone floor, not far away. Shunsui was currently the one in the punishment rig. A leather harness, it was designed to facilitate a whipping. Starrk had used something similar recreationally, although not often. He was not particularly masochistic, although he had experimented with it a bit.

This, though, was a serious piece of equipment and the drain in the floor was a good sign of that. Starrk glanced at the fourth person in the room. The young man from the Fourth looked ill but he had his full medical kit ready. When he was done punishing his pets, they would get some patching up. No kido healing, but that was only justice.

"Ah, Espada-san? I don't suppose I could talk you out of this?" Shunsui asked and Starrk snorted as he circled the man, idly touching him with the edge of the whip.

"No. Tell me, taichou-san. Are you familiar with the expression, shit rolls downhill?" He asked and the man nodded. "Let me show you a bit of the crap that is about to land on you." He stopped in front of the man, dropping the whip and reaching for the ties of his shirt. It was the work of a moment to undo it and drape the while fabric over his arm before turning around. He heard a soft gasp from Juushiro and a muffled curse from Shunsui. Idly curious, he glanced over his own shoulder to look at the marks.

The stitched up remnants of his own whipping were ugly. Red and puffy and swollen, held together by neat stitching. Aizen had sent him to the Fourth and Unohana Retsu had seen to him herself. It really hadn't been necessary, but she was wary of his reiatsu. She preferred to handle a patient of his strength herself, even fully conscious. Turning back around, Starrk regarded the taichou in the restraints evenly. Shunsui met his gaze, a touch pale but resolute.

"I understand why you did this, but there is a price to be paid." Starrk said firmly. What Shunsui and Juushiro had done really was quite understandable. "Aizen gave me thirty-five lashes. I'll give you forty." He saw Shunsui swallow and heard Juushiro gasp. He glanced at the second man. "Since you're ill, you will only have twenty." Picking up the whip, he went behind Shunsui and began the punishment. He didn't enjoy seeing the man jerk in pain as the whip hit him, but he really had no other choice. This was a just punishment for their actions.

As his hand rose and fell, Starrk let himself think about the situation as a distraction. Shunsui had once had an older seated officer, a man he'd trusted with arranging certain supplies. Somehow, the man had been padding the lists for decades, even centuries. Apparently he'd kept his thefts quite modest but over time they had added up. It had allowed his family to lead a more luxurious lifestyle than they should have. Bottles of wine, expensive dinners, things like that. Nothing too ostentatious, nothing the neighbors were likely to notice.

But it had all come crashing down when Grimmjow, of all people, had done an audit. The malfeasance had been discovered and the man's life had been forfeit. If that had been all, Shunsui and Juushiro would likely have done nothing. But Aizen believed in collective responsibility and, to be fair, Soul Society had always followed that concept. Perhaps Yamamoto would have been more merciful but the Espada were not so inclined… his wife's life, and the lives of their two young children would also have been forfeit.

The two taichou had intervened. It hadn't been well thought out, but they'd had less than no time to plan it. Juushiro had hustled the young family off as Shunsui kept the arrancar in charge of the team sent to apprehend them busy. He'd managed that with a silver tongue and quick wits. Poor Findorr had been entirely outclassed, kept very confused until it was too late. The man would still meet his end, but the small family was now nowhere to be found.

Starrk paused as he reached twenty in his count, frowning. Then he lowered the whip, realizing he'd made a slight miscalculation.

"That is enough." He said and Shunsui looked over his shoulder at him, eyes wide with surprise. "My apologies. I forgot that the two of you have no hierro." The numbers he'd quoted had been based on what would be needed with an arrancar. Glancing at Juushiro, he saw massive relief on his face. "Next time, warn me if a punishment I give seems out of line." From the condition of his back from just twenty strikes, forty would have been crippling if not deadly. There was a pained laugh from his victim.

"I thought… that was what you wanted." He said, his voice tight with the pain. Starrk sighed and walked around him before gently touching his cheek, stroking that coarse facial hair.

"Shunsui, I don't want to hurt you." He said with complete sincerity. He took no joy in seeing his pets in pain. "Here, let me help you out of that." He began releasing his pet with quick, sure movements. Shunsui made a soft sound of relief as the leather fell away. The healer hurried up to him, gently helping him over to the makeshift healing area. "Now for you." He went much, much easier on Juushiro, lowering the number of strikes to ten. When he was done, only four of the marks were bleeding.

"This could have been worse, I suppose." Shunsui murmured, his back still being sewn up. From the lack of pain on his face, the healer had used a pain deadening kido. Starrk decided not to make an issue of it although Unohana hadn't done that for him. Aizen had expressly forbidden her to use any kido.

"I suppose I've been whipped for worse things." Starrk said and saw them both wince a bit. He was willing to bet that they hadn't thought about the consequences for him at all. "I'll talk to Ulquiorra and see if I can get him to ease up on his adherence to the laws. He's a bit black and white." Communal responsibility was actually the law of Soul Society, if you stuck to the letter of it. The fact that the common law had diverged from the letter of the law would be lost on the Quatro Espada.

"If you could, we would all appreciate it." Juushiro said softly and Starrk nodded. He waited patiently for the medic to be finished with them both before gently helping Shunsui to his feet, letting the man lean on him. He ordered the medic to help Juushiro, which the lad was more than willing to do. Soon, both his pets were comfortably ensconced in their quarters. Starrk joined them on the bed, quickly falling to sleep.

It had been an exhausting day.

* * *

Starrk took a sip of his tea and winced as something warm and squishy almost landed on his head.

"So how's everything going in the Den of Sin, hmm?" A finger tickled him under his chin as a pair of extremely plush breasts were almost pressed into his face. Starrk leaned away as his personal space was invaded.

"Very well. Can you get those out of my face?" He asked politely as the dark skinned woman, Yoruichi, grinned at him. There was a laugh behind him and that suddenly gave him an idea. "Go put them into Shunsui's face, he'll appreciate it."

"Oh, I know he would. That's why he's no fun to tease." The woman said with a small laugh, glancing behind him. Starrk followed her gaze to see that Shunsui was already looking at her bosom. Of course, it really was on display. Starrk had no idea who had picked out the dark purple and gold gown she was wearing, but it was Western style and revealing, to say the least. It went extremely well with her hair and eyes. "But tell me! What happens in there? We're all so curious." She cooed and he winced.

"Grimmjow, can you please get her to leave me alone?" He asked plaintively. The other Espada just laughed before taking a swig of his tea.

"Nah, this is funny as shit. 'Sides, I might be the King but she's the Queen." He said cheerfully and Starrk stared at him, taken aback. He'd thought the woman would have Grimmjow under control soon but… he was admitting it?!

"He's making a zoological joke. Rather a clever one, really." Szayel said, adjusting his glasses. "A female cat is called a Queen, Starrk. And given that the Shihoin woman can shape shift into a cat, it's uniquely appropriate." He said pedantically and Starrk blinked. Grimmjow sighed, shaking his head.

"Way to take the funny out of it, Szayel." He said as Yoruichi slipped back to her place beside him, to his left. Grimmjow had another pet now… the noble with the long black hair. He was sitting to the right of Jaegerjaquez. Starrk wasn't too surprised, he knew the other Espada was bisexual. He'd mostly been interested in the women because they were hot property, not because he objected to taking a man. What he was interested in was the odd feeling he was getting from the noble… that he was tolerating Grimmjow but genuinely disliked Yoruichi. Did they have some kind of prior history?

Glancing around, he took in the rest of the Espada. Nnoitra was still alive but not present. His mask had been broken by Kenpachi's attack and he'd regressed to a small child, being tended to by Tesra. Aizen was puzzling over it, attempting to fix the damage. Barragan, Zommari, Yammy and Aaroniero were all dead, but the rest of them were alive and well.

His gaze rested on Halibel for a moment. She was there with one of her pets, the man with the wolf head. Her second pet was the huge taichou with the bells, but he was firmly excluded from any meetings. Starrk was slightly surprised by her selections. It seemed she was bisexual as well and when it came to men, she liked them big and strong. He would never have expected it.

He went on to Ulquiorra and smiled a bit in amusement at the smoldering look the woman behind him was directing at his back. The Quatro Espada preferred women, very firmly. But due to some duties he'd been last to pick and he'd been forced to accept what was left… the small, intense woman. Soi Fon? Yes, that was the name. In some ways, it was a good thing since Ulquiorra was in charge of the new secret police. But they did not seem to be getting along.

Szayel was the last at the table and he only had the healing taichou, Unohana. He was bisexual but none of the other taichou had a scientific background of any kind, and he was uninterested in taking another pet just for the sake of having one. Starrk sighed to himself at the thought. He really was thinking of taking a third just for that purpose…

Then Aizen came into the room and all attention went to him. Starrk listened to the meeting with half an ear. A lot of it didn't concern him, of course. The final details of Grimmjow's audit were rather funny, though.

"Yeah, so the Eleventh is kind of weird. Someone's doing the paperwork and they know what they're doing but some of these expenses… what is with the candy budget?" Grimmjow wondered aloud and Aizen smiled slightly, amused. "And what is 'stuff'? No one will tell me what 'stuff' is. I'm wondering if someone is buying sex toys or something, they get all giggly when I ask. Or maybe prostitutes? I dunno. But they're not too over budget."

"What kind of overruns?" Aizen asked as Halibel listened carefully. Since that was her pet's Division, any punishments needed would fall on her. Starrk shuddered a little at the thought, although he was certain Halibel would be good for it. If anyone could handle that man, it would be her. Grimmjow named a figure and Aizen nodded. "That's acceptable. The Eleventh is never entirely on budget, we always take that into account."

"Well, okay I guess. That's about it for the audit. Will we be making a schedule for this shit or just making it random?" That made several of the taichou wince and Starrk could feel Shunsui and Juushiro's resignation, as well as their lack of surprise when Aizen smiled and said audits would be conducted randomly in the future. Then Aizen inquired about how things were going with their pets, starting with him.

"Everything is fine in the Den of Sin." He said with a sigh as the Shihoin woman tittered. "Although I don't know why everyone insists on calling our house that."

"Because Barragan's dead and these shinigami think two guys doing it weird. That shit you like makes their hair curl." Grimmjow said cheerfully and Starrk was tempted to give him the finger. Lilinette did it for him. She was at the table too, with her own pet. "Yeah, and that's the other reason… shit, two kids doing it is so wrong."

"Shut up! I'm not a kid and I can't grow." Lilinette snapped as Starrk sighed. Then she looked at Aizen. "Toshiro and I are doing okay." She said and the small taichou behind her kept his gaze on the floor, a blush coloring his cheeks. Starrk could sense his emotions at a remove and knew he was quite embarrassed by his 'relationship' with the Primera's other half. Although the thought of being Claimed by the male half horrified him. Aizen had decreed that if Lilinette couldn't hold the Claim, Starrk would need to take it over for her.

"I'm glad to hear it." Aizen said before transferring his gaze to Halibel. "Halibel?" She shrugged, slightly.

"All is well. They are both tending to their duties adequately." She stated, which was typical of her. The wolf headed taichou – what was his name? Starrk couldn't remember – just took a sip of his tea. He didn't seem remotely offended, but he probably knew Halibel relatively well by now. Ulquiorra's response was practically identical… Grimmjow, though, was interesting.

"Not bad, could be better. If I'd known my pets hated each other, I probably wouldn't have taken this guy." He reported and Yoruichi widened her eyes theatrically.

"I don't hate Bya-kun! Why, he's adorable! I remember when he had such chubby cheeks – " She started and a cup of tea suddenly landed on her dress. "BYA!"

"My apologies. My hand slipped." The noble said with very little sincerity and she scowled at him as she daubed at the stain. Grimmjow shook his head before gesturing with one hand.

"Yeah, like that. Whatever, I can handle it." He said as Aizen chuckled softly. The rest of the meeting was a report from Szayel on some kind of project he was doing. Starrk found it quite boring and let himself drift off, dozing in his seat. Then someone nudged him in the shoulder and he lifted his head with a bleary blink, realizing the meeting was over.

"Ah, thank you." He said with a yawn, moving to his feet. Lilinette huffed at him as she jumped up. "Lilinette, did you want some ice cream?" He was in the mood for a treat after enduring something so dull. Her single eye lit up at the thought.

"Yeah! I'd love that. Let's go!" She grabbed his arm and they left the meeting together, their pets trailing behind. Starrk glanced over his shoulder thoughtfully.

"Do the rest of you want ice cream?" Shunsui and Toshiro both declined but Juushiro accepted with a smile. Starrk had noticed that his white haired pet seemed to have a sweet tooth. Parting ways, Starrk let Lilinette jump on his back so they could jump into a proper sonido. Soon they were all enjoying ice cream, Lilinette chattering happily with Juushiro. Starrk just smiled, watching them together. From a rough first meeting, they had come to like each other a great deal. The bribes of candy probably had something to do with it.

Starrk just enjoyed seeing everyone around him happy.

* * *

"Starrk, please stop." Shunsui begged him, his voice thin and stressed. Starrk ignored it as he deep throated the throbbing erection, fondling the heavy sac beneath. "Starrk! Take it off!"

"Mph." Starrk pulled away, leaving wet trails of saliva on that hot flesh. "No." He said serenely. It had only been perhaps five minutes with the cock ring. Shunsui could take much, much more than that. The shinigami writhed, trying to free himself from the cuffs and chains that were holding him. But along with the spreader bars, he really had no hope. This was the kind of domination set that a master would be hard pressed to escape. "You're being punished. Remember?"

"This is… a bit… stiff… don't you think…?" Shunsui panted then arched with a whine as Starrk began to slowly stroke his erection. Starrk smiled, enjoying the way his pet was desperately thrusting into his hands.

"No. I'm sure your fukutaichou has been nagging you for decades. And I know Juushiro has been bothering you for centuries. Clearly, words are not enough. And whipping you would be a little extreme." Starrk said, enjoying the pleasurable torment, the absolute desperation on his pet's face. "So this is your new punishment."

"It's just paperwork…!" Shunsui's voice trailed off into a groan as Starrk went down on his cock again. "Kami kami kami…" It had been five minutes with the cock ring, but they had been at this for much, much longer than that. Starrk knew how to delay and manipulate orgasms. It made him wonder how much his pet could take. Well, he would see.

The answer was quite a lot. He brought Shunsui to the very edge of orgasm three times before finally allowing him to find completion. When he allowed the man to orgasm, it was a truly impressive sight. Starrk watched, very aroused, as Shunsui came so hard that his cum splattered his abdomen, chest, and a tiny bit even landed on his cheek. His whole body seemed to vibrate with the force of it and Starrk swallowed, desperately wanting to take the other man. But Shunsui was slumping, exhausted, and Starrk was sure he wouldn't be able to get it up again anytime soon. That was fine though. He had another option…

Starrk gently tugged on the Claim, signaling to Juushiro that his time to join them had come. He stepped into the room, wearing only a smile and a robe. Starrk had briefed the taichou on what he intended to do to Shunsui and a rather exasperated Juushiro had agreed that it couldn't possibly hurt. Shunsui heard the door open and managed to lift his head tiredly. Then his eyes widened in shock.

"Juu?! Get me out of this!" He pleaded but Juushiro just shook his head with a smile.

"You brought this on yourself." He said before opening his robe and letting it drop to the floor. Starrk swallowed at the sight, feeling a great deal of anticipation as Juushiro joined him on the bed. "On your back." He said and Starrk smiled in appreciation before following that instruction. He did love being dominated…

"Wait, what?" Shunsui sounded quite taken aback as Juushiro quickly took the initiative, pinning Starrk to the bed and gripping his hair roughly, pulling him into a deep kiss. Starrk submitted easily, enjoying the roughness. "You knew he was going to do this? Juu!"

"Hush. He's right, we can't get through to you with words and Aizen kami is less patient than Genryusai sensai." Juushiro said as they parted and Starrk whined softly as warm hands began to explore his body. He glanced over and saw that Shunsui was watching them both both, wide-eyed. He smiled at the other man, finding that he enjoyed having an audience. "He gave Starrk a talking to. The rest of us manage to do our work. Even Zaraki signs the reports, even if he doesn't read them. What is your problem?" Juushiro sounded frustrated with his long time friend. Starrk wanted more attention, though. He arched upwards and hooked his legs over the other man, rubbing their bodies together. "Oh… kami…" Juushiro lost interest in his friend and gained it in the man in his arms. They kissed again, deep and intimate. Starrk deeply enjoyed the feeling of that tongue in his mouth, exploring him thoroughly.

"I'm not Zaraki, I have to read them and there's just so many… kami…" Shunsui said as Juushiro lowered his face, exploring Starrk's throat and collarbone before going to a nipple. The Espada groaned as his body was teased, a hot mouth encircling that small ring of flesh. "…Is no one going to let me out of here?" He said plaintively and Starrk smiled to himself at the arousal he could sense through the Claim. Glancing over, he confirmed it… Shunsui definitely wanted to participate. That was too bad for him.

"No. You get to watch." Starrk said firmly and Juushiro laughed softly at his lover's frustrated whine. Then he began opening the arrancar under him and Starrk groaned, enjoying the delicious burn. He gazed at the man above him with half-lidded eyes as those agile fingers explored him, quickly finding his prostate. That made him arch with a hoarse cry, gripping the other man's shoulders as his body registered approval. "Ah Juu, take me…" After everything he'd done to Shunsui he was in no mood to be patient. He wanted the other man inside him, now.

"Gladly." Juushiro breathed in his ear before flicking his legs up and over his shoulders. Then he was going inside, taking the Espada with a single, rough push. Starrk cried out, his voice heavy and full of lust. Both his pets were so good at this…

Juushiro took him with a fast, punishing rhythm. It hurt a bit, but that was fine. To Starrk the mild pain was like spice on the top of a delicious dish. The feel of the hard cock inside him, rasping firmly against his prostate, the hand that encircled his erection and stroked him with every powerful thrust… it was bliss. He gripped the blankets tightly as he was taken, staring up raptly at the shinigami above him. From the look on Juushiro's face, he was enjoying it every bit as much as the Espada beneath him.

"Oh my kami." Shunsui's voice made Starrk chuckle before gasping as Juushiro found his prostate again. "You are both driving me insane over here…"

"Patience… uh…" Juushiro groaned as his thrusts speeded. Starrk gasped, feeling his orgasm coming on quickly. His lover just felt so good in there… "Starrk, you are… amazing…"

"So are you." He said, his voice husky and full of pleasure. "AH!" The pressure inside him came to a point and there was nothing to stop his release. He came with a cry, feeling the rush of pleasure all through his belly. Juushiro followed him a moment later and Starrk felt him stiffen, felt the hot pulse of that member inside him. He deeply enjoyed that feeling, proof of how much pleasure the other man was taking from him. After it was done Juushiro smiled down at him before slowly pulling away, letting his legs fall down to the bed. Starrk just lay there, feeling boneless and very satisfied.

"…Is no one going to help me out over here?" Shunsui said plaintively and they both glanced over. Starrk snorted in amusement as he saw the frustrated man and the rather impressive erection he was sporting. There wasn't a single thing he could do about it, either, in that bondage rig.

"I don't know. Should we just leave him like that?" Juushiro asked as Shunsui gave his lover a betrayed look. Starrk chuckled before sitting up and moving over to the bound man.

"No, I don't think so. However!" He poked Shunsui in the chest before giving him the most serious look he could muster. "I'm going to be checking with Nanao to make sure you're doing at least the minimum necessary to avoid Aizen's notice. If you are not, I will give you another punishment. I'll invite Grimmjow, Halibel and any pets they care to bring – I bet the Shihoin woman would love it – and you will be satisfying all of us for the entire night."

"…That sounds more like a reward than a punishment." Shunsui said in a bemused tone and Starrk smiled. He knew it was an impressively evil smile.

"Oh no. When we're done with you, your dick will be sore from overuse." He promised and Shunsui blinked. "You won't walk right for a week."

"Still doesn't entirely sound like a punishment." He ventured and Starrk laughed before leaning over to speak in his ear.

"And for the entire night, you will never, ever find satisfaction." He said and felt Shunsui's jaw dropping a little. Despite the things he'd introduced them to, the two shinigami could be oddly innocent sometimes.

"…I'll do my paperwork?" Shunsui said weakly and Starrk pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Good. Juu?" He asked and the slightly wide eyed man shook his head before smiling and moving up and taking Shunsui's cock in his mouth. The heady groan from the man was lovely and Starrk began undoing the ties, removing the cuffs and spreader bars. That made Shunsui sigh in relief, not to his surprise. The rig could be a bit uncomfortable over long periods. Soon he was free and Starrk settled in to watch his two pets pleasing each other.

They were beautiful together and sometimes, he just wanted to watch.


End file.
